Boredom Attack 2
by 14hp1
Summary: This is a SEQUEL to Boredom Attack. ' “Why don’t we all go to bed and wish for the next book tomorrow?”, Lily suggested. As she said it, another large book landed on the table. Sirius smiled and picked it up, “Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.” '
1. Sirius decides to wake everyone up

**Author's Note: This is a _sequel _to 'Boredom Attack', in which they read _Prisoner of Azkaban. _I suggest you read it first so you understand what's going on here better.**

Sirius was the first to wake up, due to wanting to read so badly. He quickly rushed out of his room and he quickly rushed from his room, slamming the door as loud as possible.

_Who should I wake up first?_, Sirius thought pleasantly, _Moony, it's his turn to read. _

Sirius found the door with Remus's name on it and opened it to find his friend completely hidden under the blankets. Sirius thought for a moment on how to wake him up.

He pointed his wand at the bed after lifting the blankets slightly and muttered, "_Serpensortia"_

The conjured snake (non-venomous of course, Sirius had been specific) slithered under the blankets and Sirius fled from the room, shutting the door behind him.

_Who next? Prongs…and he can wake Lily._

Sirius opened James door and began thinking of ways to wake him up.

--

Remus excited his room, the 5 foot corn snake Sirius had conjured wrapped around his arm. He irritably slammed the door and noticed James's door was open. Remus quietly enter the rooms, sneaking up behind the thinking Sirius.

He put his arm behind Sirius's neck and the red-orange snake slithered down Sirius's shirt.

Remus quickly stepped back, just in time.

Sirius screamed and started running around, trying to get the snake out of his shirt. Remus started laughing and James woke up, looking confused.

He looked from the shouting, frantic Sirius to the laughing Remus and put his glasses on. They really didn't clear things up much.

Sirius fled from the room as the snake fell out of his shirt and onto the floor.

Remus picked up the snake again and showed it to James, who backed away slightly, "Sirius decided to wake me up."

"With a snake?", James asked, surprised and eyeing the snake.

"Yeah. Do you want to go wake Lily?", Remus asked, James jumped out of bed quickly and left the room, leaving Remus and the snake.

Remus shook his head, amused and went to see if Sirius had recovered yet.

He found him sitting on the couch in the main part of the room. He walked up behind him and lowered the snake in front of Sirius's face.

Sirius jumped and gave Remus a glare, "That was _not _nice, Moony."

"Neither was putting a snake in my bed."

"At least you didn't have one down your shirt."

"Actually, I did."

They both laughed and Remus offered to go wake Harry, the corn snake still wrapped around his arm.

"Sure. What are you going to do with the snake?"

"I think I'm going to keep it.", Remus said, shocking Sirius slightly.

"Why?", Sirius moaned.

Remus smiled, "You and James don't particularly like snakes."

"So your keeping it to be mean to us?"

Remus nodded, smiling, and went back down the hall.

"You scare me sometimes.", Sirius shouted over his shoulder.

Remus laughed and opened Harry's door.

--

Remus decided to be much nicer in waking Harry than Sirius had been waking him.

He started saying his name and shook him slightly.

Harry opened his eyes and tried to focus on the shape standing over him but his vision was blurry.

He reached for his glasses and felt them put in his hand. He mumbled a 'thanks' and put them on.

Harry let out a small gasp at the sight of the snake and said without thinking, "What's that?"

_What do I look like, fool boy?_ The snake hissed irritably.

_No need to be rude._ Harry hissed back, before realizing what he was doing. Remus gave a small gasp.

"You're a parselmouth?", Remus asked.

"Yeah, I figured it out my second year."

"You left that out.", Remus said, smiling slightly.

"What's with the snake?"

"Sirius thought it would be a good idea to wake me up with it."

"It's not exactly the nicest snake.", Harry muttered.

_Your not exactly the smartest boy_, the snake retorted.

Harry ignored him as Remus said, "We should get to the living room, Sirius wants to read."

Harry went to wake Ron and Hermione as Remus went back down the hall to the living room.

**Author's Note: I thought it would be funny if James and Sirius were scared of snakes. Because the Slytherian's symbol is a snake.**

**What should the snake's name be? Please give me some suggestions. Oh, I picked a corn snake 1) because they're one of the most popular snakes that are kept as pets 2) one of the teachers at my school has one in his class room.**

**So, give me your suggestions for a name for the snake. I won't update till I get a few.**


	2. The Riddle House

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

**Author's Note: The choices were, Eric, Mr. Slithers (:P), Harry, Ruby, Severus and Seth. I liked Seth (****starlitenite28 ****came up with that) and Eric (****martuna****)**

**I chose Seth because, I dunno, it's more snake-ish? Seth the snake. I like the 's' thing for some reason. **

Ron and Hermione came in, yawning, and took a second to notice the snake, which was still wrapped around Remus's arm.

"What's that doing here?", Ron asked.

If possible the snake looked rather offended, "That _has a name."_

_"What is it then?", _Harry said irritably, once again forgetting he was speaking in Parseltongue.

James and Sirius looked shocked and Lily looked confused.

"You're-you're a Parselmouth?", James stuttered.

_"You don't say?"_, the snake hissed.

_"Shut up."_, _Harry_ snapped.

_"You're lucky I'm not venomous."_

"Yeah.", Harry said, finally getting to James's question.

"Er-What exactly is a Parselmouth?", Lily asked.

"Someone who can talk to snakes.", Harry answered.

"Voldemort is supposed to be a Parselmouth.", James said.

"He is.", Harry confirmed, trying to ignore the snake hissing angrily.

"Moony, do you _have_ to keep that snake in here?", Sirius moaned.

_"I have a name!"_

_"Would you like me to tell them what it is?"_, Harry told it bitterly.

_"Yes, I would think so."_

They other people were watching Harry, a mixture of curiosity and slight fear.

_"Well?", _Harry prompted.

_"Seth."_, the snake said, hissing the 's' and the 'th' .

_"Seth?"_, Harry asked, thinking that was an odd name for a snake when you considered Nagini…

_"Yes, that's what I said boy!"_

"The snake's name is Seth.", Harry said.

They all gave Harry a surprised look.

"He doesn't like being referred to by, 'that snake'."

_"Would you like me to call you, 'that boy'?"_, Seth asked Harry.

_"You already do.", _Harry said, picking up the book, and handing it to Remus.

Seth slithered off his arm and across Sirius's lap (much to his horror) and hesitated before twisting around Harry's arm.

Harry ignored him as Remus started to read.

**CHAPTER ONE **

**THE RIDDLE HOUSE **

"Didn't you say Voldemort's name was Tom Riddle?", James asked Harry, avoiding looking at Seth.

Harry nodded and smiled slightly.

**The villagers of Little Hangleton still called it "the Riddle House," even though it had been many years since the Riddle family had lived there. It stood on a hill overlooking the village, some of its windows boarded, tiles missing from its roof, and ivy spreading unchecked over its face. Once a fine-looking manor, and easily the largest and grandest building for miles around, the Riddle House was now damp, derelict, and unoccupied. **

**The Little Hagletons all agreed that the old house was "creepy." Half a century ago, something strange and horrible had happened there, something that the older inhabitants of the village still liked to discuss when topics for gossip were scarce. The story had been picked over so many times, and had been embroidered in so many places, that nobody was quite sure what the truth was anymore. Every version of the tale, however, started in the same place: Fifty years before, at daybreak on a fine summer's morning when the Riddle House had still been well kept and impressive, a maid had entered the drawing room to find all three Riddles dead. **

They all looked shocked but didn't comment so Remus could read.

**The maid had run screaming down the hill into the village and roused as many people as she could. **

"**Lying there with their eyes wide open! Cold as ice! **

"That sounds like the killing curse.", James said.

Harry nodded and Seth stopped hissing and looked at the book with interest.

**Still in their dinner things!" **

**The police were summoned, and the whole of Little Hangleton had seethed with shocked curiosity and ill-disguised excitement. Nobody wasted their breath pretending to feel very sad about the Riddles, for they had been most unpopular. Elderly Mr. and Mrs. Riddle had been rich, snobbish, and rude, and their grown-up son, Tom, had been, if anything, worse. **

"Sounds a bit like my parents and Regulus.", Sirius said.

"Yeah, just add the dark arts.", James said, causing Sirius to nod in agreement.

"_Who are all these people?"_, Seth hissed, finally taking in everyone, who he had been ignoring.

"_Finally noticed them, them have you?"_, Harry replied.

Seth looked agitated and gave an angry hiss.

"_I'm Harry Potter; the other guy who looks a lot like me is James Potter. The one with long, black hair is Sirius Black, long, red hair is Lily Evans, the one who found you is Remus Lupin, bushy hair is Hermione Granger and the freckly, red haired one is Ron Weasley."_

Seth nodded. (This looked rather odd as he was a snake)

"What does it want it want?", Sirius asked.

Seth turned to him and hissed loudly, _"I want you to call me by my proper name, Black",_ causing Sirius to move away slightly.

With what appeared to be a smirk, Seth turned back to Harry to hear his answer.

"He wanted to know who everyone was and he wants you to call him 'by his proper name, Black.' ", Harry said, causing Sirius to look shocked, "That's what he said."

Remus continued to read before Seth could tell Harry anything else.

**All the villagers cared about was the identity of their murderer — for plainly, three apparently healthy people did not all drop dead of natural causes on the same night.**

'_You don't say"_, Seth hissed again.

Harry ignored him and focused on the book.

**The Hanged Man, the village pub,**

"That's worse than 'The Hog's Head'.", Sirius said.

"They both have something to do with the village's name.", Lily said.

Sirius looked slightly confused so Lily elaborated, "Hogsmeade, Hog's head. Little Hangleton, Hanged Man."

**did a roaring trade that night; the whole village seemed to have turned out to discuss the murders. They were rewarded for leaving their firesides when the Riddles' cook arrived dramatically in their midst and announced to the suddenly silent pub that a man called Frank Bryce had just been arrested. **

"**Frank!" cried several people. "Never!" **

**Frank Bryce was the Riddles' gardener. He lived alone in a run-down cottage on the grounds of the Riddle House. Frank had come back from the war **

"What war?", Sirius asked.

"They're Muggles so it's probably World War II for them and the war against Grindelwald for us.", Remus explained.

**with a very stiff leg and a great dislike of crowds and loud noises, and had been working for the Riddles ever since. **

**There was a rush to buy the cook drinks and hear more details. **

"**Always thought he was odd," she told the eagerly listening villagers, after her fourth sherry. "Unfriendly, like. I'm sure if I've offered him a cuppa once, I've offered it a hundred times. Never wanted to mix, he didn't." **

"**Ah, now," said a woman at the bar, "he had a hard war, Frank. He likes the quiet life. That's no reason to —" **

"**Who else had a key to the back door, then?" barked the cook. **

"If the Riddle's really did die from the killing curse, a wizard or witch wouldn't need a key.", Lily said reasonably.

"**There's been a spare key hanging in the gardener's cottage far back as I can remember! Nobody forced the door last night! No broken windows! All Frank had to do was creep up to the big house while we was all sleeping…" **

**The villagers exchanged dark looks. **

"**I always thought that he had a nasty look about him, right enough," grunted a man at the bar. **

"**War turned him funny, if you ask me," said the landlord. **

"**Told you I wouldn't like to get on the wrong side of Frank, didn't I, Dot?" said an excited woman in the corner. **

"**Horrible temper," said Dot, nodding fervently. "I remember, when he was a kid…" **

**By the following morning, hardly anyone in Little Hangleton doubted that Frank Bryce had killed the Riddles. But over in the neighboring town of Great Hangleton, in the dark and dingy police station, Frank was stubbornly repeating, again and again, that he was innocent, and that the only person he had seen near the house on the day of the Riddles' deaths had been a teenage boy, a stranger, dark-haired and pale. **

"Didn't you say the Riddle that came out of the diary looked like that?", James asked Harry worriedly.

Harry nodded and Seth looked a bit confused.

**Nobody else in the village had seen any such boy, and the police were quite sure Frank had invented him. **

**Then, just when things were looking very serious for Frank, the report on the Riddles' bodies came back and changed everything. The police had never read an odder report. A team of doctors had examined the bodies and had concluded that none of the Riddles had been poisoned, stabbed, shot, strangles, suffocated, or (as far as they could tell) harmed at all. In fact (the report continued, in a tone of unmistakable bewilderment), the Riddles all appeared to be in perfect health **

"Besides the fact that they're all dead.", Sirius said.

— **apart from the fact that they were all dead. **

"I hate it when that happens."

**The doctors did note (as though determined to find something wrong with the bodies) that each of the Riddles had a look of terror upon his or her face — but as the frustrated police said, whoever heard of three people being frightened to death? **

"_Exactly."_, Seth hissed, taking a sudden interest in the book.

**As there was no proof that the Riddles had been murdered at all, the police were forced to let Frank go. The Riddles were buried in the Little Hangleton churchyard, and their graves remained objects of curiosity for a while. To everyone's surprise, and amid a cloud of suspicion, Frank Bryce returned to his cottage on the grounds of the Riddle House. **

"**As far as I'm concerned, he killed them, and I don't care what the police say," said Dot in the Hanged Man. "And if he had any decency, he'd leave here, knowing as how we knows he did it." **

**But Frank did not leave. He stayed to tend the garden for the next family who lived in the Riddle House, and then the next — for neither family stayed long. **

**Perhaps it was partly because of Frank that the new owners said there was a nasty feeling about the place, which, in the absence of inhabitants, started to fall into disrepair. **

**The wealthy man who owned the Riddle House these days neither lived there nor put it to any use; they said in the village that he kept it for "tax reasons," though nobody was very clear what these might be. The wealthy owner continued to pay Frank to do the gardening, however. Frank was nearing his seventy-seventh birthday now, very deaf, his bad leg stiffer than ever, but could be seen pottering around the flower beds in fine weather, even though the weeds were starting to creep up on him, try as he might to suppress them. **

**Weeds were not the only things Frank had to contend with either. Boys from the village made a habit of throwing stones through the windows of the Riddle House.**

"That's horrible!", Lily shouted.

James nodded but was exchanging a guilty, amused look with Sirius.

"What?", Lily demanded.

James hesitated before saying, "After Sirius ran away, we went to his house and did that…"

Lily gave them a disapproving look as Seth hissed, _"Delinquents.",_ causing Harry to laugh.

"What?", Ron asked curiously.

"He called you two delinquents.", Harry said, addressing James and Sirius.

"We prefer 'trouble makers'.", James told Seth.

Harry and Ron started laughing again and Lily looked even more disapproving at what James had said before Seth's interruption.

"You'd laugh too if you knew my mother.", Sirius muttered.

Harry nodded.

"Do _you_ know her?", Sirius asked Harry.

"I suppose you should say that. After she died she had a portrait put up at Grimmauld Place."

"You've been to Grimmauld Place?"

Harry nodded but figured it best not to elaborate.

**They rode their bicycles over the lawns Frank worked so hard to keep smooth. Once or twice, they broke into the old house for a dare. They knew that old Frank's devotion to the house and the grounds amounted almost to an obsession, and it amused them to see him limping across the garden, brandishing his stick and yelling croakily at them.**

"That _is _horrible.", James said, "I don't think even Sirius and I would go that far."

**Frank, for his part, believed the boys tormented him because they, like their parents and grandparents, thought him a murderer. So when Frank awoke one night in August and**

**saw something very odd up at the old house, he merely assumed that the boys had gone one step further in their attempts to punish him. **

**It was Frank's bad leg that woke him; it was paining him worse than ever in his old age.**

"And those boys torment him?", Lily said.

**He got up and limped downstairs into the kitchen with the idea of refilling his hot-water bottle to ease the stiffness in his knee. Standing at the sink, filling the kettle, he looked up at the Riddle House and saw lights glimmering in its upper windows. Frank knew at once what was going on. The boys had broken into the house again, and judging by the flickering quality of the light, they had started a fire. **

"They're not going to burn the house down, are they?", Sirius said, shocked.

Harry shook his head and thought silently, _they're not boys either._

**Frank had no telephone, in any case, he had deeply mistrusted the police ever since they had taken him in for questioning about the Riddles' deaths.**

"I don't blame him.", Sirius said, thinking of the ministry believing he was a mass-murderer.

**He put down the kettle at once, hurried back upstairs as fast as his bad leg would allow, and was soon back in his kitchen, fully dressed and removing a rusty old key from its hook by the door. He picked up his walking stick, which was propped against the wall, and set off into the night. **

**The front door of the Riddle House bore no sign of being forced, nor did any of the windows. Frank limped around to the back of the house until he reached a door almost completely hidden by ivy, took out the old key, put it into the lock, and opened the door noiselessly. **

**He let himself into the cavernous kitchen. Frank had not entered it for many years; nevertheless, although it was very dark, he remembered where the door into the hall was, and he groped his way towards it, his nostrils full of the smell of decay, ears pricked for any sound of footsteps or voices from overhead.**

"Seeing as he's nearly deaf, that's not going to really help.", Sirius muttered.

**He reached the hall, which was a little lighter owing to the large mullioned windows on either side of the front door, and started to climb the stairs, blessing the dust that lay thick upon the stone, because it muffled the sound of his feet and stick. On the landing, Frank turned right, and saw at once where the intruders were: At the every end of the passage a door stood ajar, and a flickering light shone through the gap, casting a long sliver of gold across the black floor. Frank edged closer and closer, he was able to see a narrow slice of the room beyond. **

**The fire, he now saw, had been lit in the grate. This surprised him. Then he stopped moving and listened intently, for a man's voice spoke within the room; it sounded timid and fearful. **

"**There is a little more in the bottle, My Lord**

"Voldemort?", James asked, shocked.

Harry nodded slowly as thoughts of the Triwizard Tournament and Voldemort's return rushed into his head.

**, if you are still hungry." **

"**Later," said a second voice. This too belonged to a man — but it was strangely high-pitched, and cold as a sudden blast of icy wind. Something about that voice made the sparse hairs on the back of Frank's neck stand up. "Move me closer to the fire, Wormtail." **

Sirius growled and his eyes widened suddenly.

Remus put down the book and picked up _Prisoner of Azkaban._

" 'THE DARK LORD WILL RISE AGAIN WITH HIS SERVANT'S AID, GREATER AND MORE TERRIBLE THAN EVER HE WAS. TONIGHT…BEFORE MIDNIGHT…THE SERVANT…WILL SET OUT…TO REJOIN…HIS MASTER…' ", Remus read, and then added quietly, " 'The dark lord will rise again…' "

" 'Greater and more terrible than he ever was.' ", Sirius said worriedly.

**Frank turned his right ear toward the door, the better to hear. There came the clink of a bottle being put down upon some hard surface, and then the dull scraping noise of a heavy chair being dragged across the floor. Frank caught a glimpse of a small man, his back to the door, pushing the chair into place. He was wearing a long black cloak, and there was a bald patch at the back of his head. Then he went out of sight again. **

"**Where is Nagini?" said the cold voice. **

"Who?", James asked Harry.

"His snake."

Seth looked mildly interested.

"**I — I don't know, My Lord," said the first voice nervously. "She set out to explore the house, I think…" **

"**You will milk her before we retire, Wormtail," said the second voice. "I will need feeding in the night. The journey has tired me greatly." **

**Brow furrowed, Frank inclined his good ear still closer to the door, listening very hard.**

"Frank needs to get out of there!", James yelled, suddenly remembering the old man.

Harry frowned, remembering what happened to Frank Bryce.

**There was a pause, and then the man called Wormtail spoke again. **

"**My Lord, may I ask how long we are going to stay here?" **

"**A week," said the cold voice. "Perhaps longer. The place is moderately comfortable, and the plan cannot proceed yet. It would be foolish to act before the Quidditch World Cup**

James smiled but was too interested in the conversation to do anything more.

**is over." **

**Frank inserted a gnarled finger into his ear and rotated it. Owing, no doubt, to a buildup of earwax, he had heard the word "Quidditch," which was not a word at all. **

James looked stunned, "It's only the best sport in the world!"

"**The — the Quidditch World Cup, My Lord?" said Wormtail. (Frank dug his finger still more vigorously into his ear.) "Forgive me, but — I do not understand – why should we wait until the World Cup is over?" **

"Because wizards and witches are going to be coming from all over the world to watch.", Sirius said.

"**Because, fool, at this very moment wizards are pouring into the country from all over the world, and every meddler from the Ministry of Magic will be on duty, on the watch for signs of unusual activity, checking and double-checking identities. They will be obsessed with security, lest the Muggles notice anything. So we wait." **

**Frank stopped trying to clear out his ear. He had distinctly heard the words "Ministry of Magic," "wizards," and "Muggles." Plainly, each of these expressions meant something secret, and Frank could think of only two sorts of people who would speak in code: spies and criminals. **

"Frank's pretty smart. Most Muggles would just think Voldemort and Wormtail were joking or something.", Remus said.

**Frank tightened his hold on his walking stick once more, and listened more closely still. **

"**Your Lordship is still determined, then?" Wormtail said quietly. **

"**Certainly I am determined, Wormtail." There was a note of menace in the cold voice now. **

**A slight pause followed — and the Wormtail spoke, the words tumbling from him in a rush, as though he was forcing himself to say this before he lost his nerve. **

"**It could be done without Harry Potter, My Lord." **

"What? Why do they want Harry?", James said.

Harry shuddered and glanced down at his right arm, where Pettigrew had cut it three years ago only to find Seth looking up at him.

**Another pause, more protracted, and then — **

"**Without Harry Potter?" breathed the second voice softly. "I see…" **

"**My Lord, I do not say this out of concern for the boy!" said Wormtail, **

"Of course not, you filthy traitor.", Sirius said venomously.

Seth looked rather confused and Harry began explaining the first thirteen years of his life in quiet Parseltongue, as not to disturb the others reading.

**his voice rising squeakily. "The boy is nothing to me, nothing at all! It is merely that if we were to use another witch or wizard — any wizard — the thing could be done so much more quickly! If you allowed me to leave you for a short while — you know that I can disguise myself most effectively — I could be back here in as little as two days with a suitable person —" **

"**I could use another wizard," said the cold voice softly, "that is true…" **

"**My Lord, it makes sense," said Wormtail, sounding thoroughly relieved now. "Laying hands on Harry Potter would be so difficult, he is so well protected —" **

"**And so you volunteer to go and fetch me a substitute? I wonder… perhaps the task of nursing me has become wearisome for you, Wormtail? Could this suggestion of abandoning the plan be nothing more than an attempt to desert me?" **

"**My Lord! I — I have no wish to leave you, none at all —" **

"**Do not lie to me!" hissed the second voice. "I can always tell, Wormtail! **

"Is Voldemort a Ligilemens?", James asked curiously.

Harry nodded, thinking of his horrible Occlumency lessons.

**You are regretting that you ever returned to me. I revolt you. I see you flinch when you look at me, feel you shudder when you touch me…" **

"**No! My devotion to Your Lordship —" **

"**Your devotion is nothing more than cowardice.**

"Wormtail never was the bravest person.", Sirius said.

**You would not be here if you had anywhere else to go. How am I to survive without you, when I need feeding every few hours? Who is to milk Nagini?" **

"**But you seem so much stronger, My Lord —" **

"**Liar," breathed the second voice. "I am no stronger, and a few days alone would be enough to rob me of the little health I have regained**

"Leave him Peter, maybe he won't survive!"

**under your clumsy care. Silence!" **

**Wormtail, who had been sputtering incoherently, fell silent at once. For a few seconds, Frank could hear nothing but the fire crackling. Then the second man spoke once more, in a whisper that was almost a hiss. **

"**I have my reasons for using the boy, as I have already explained to you, and I will use no other. I have waited thirteen years. A few more months will make no difference. As for the protection surrounding the boy, I believe my plan will be effective. All that is needed is a little courage from you, Wormtail — courage you will find, unless you wish to feel the full extent of Lord Voldermort's wrath —" **

"**My Lord, I must speak!" said Wormtail, panic in his voice now. "All through our journey I have gone over the plan in my head — My Lord, Bertha Jorkin's **

"Isn't she that girl that's two years older than us?", James asked.

"Yeah," Sirius said, "She's not exactly that smart.."

"Her brain only works to store gossip.", James agreed.

**disappearance will not go unnoticed for long, and if we proceed, if I murder —" **

"**If?" whispered the second voice. "If? If you follow the plan, Wormtail, the Ministry need never know that anyone else has died. You will do it quietly and without fuss; I only wish that I could do it myself, but in my present condition…Come, Wormtail, one more death and our path to Harry Potter is clear. I am not asking you to do it alone. By that time, my faithful servant will have rejoined us —" **

"**I am a faithful servant," said Wormtail, the merest trace of sullenness in his voice. **

"**Wormtail, I need somebody with brains, somebody whose loyalty has never wavered, and you, unfortunately, fulfill neither requirement." **

Sirius and Harry each gave a snort of laughter.

"**I found you," said Wormtail, and there was definitely a sulky edge to his voice now. "I was the one who found you. I brought you Bertha Jorkins." **

"**That is true," said the second man, sounding amused. "A stroke of brilliance I would not have thought possible from you, Wormtail **

"_I think I like this Voldemort fellow.", _Seth said.

Harry gave him a shocked look but just said, _"You would."_

— **though, if truth be told, you were not aware how useful she would be when you caught her, were you?" **

"**I — I thought she might be useful, My Lord —" **

"**Liar," said the second voice again, the cruel amusement more pronounced than ever. "However, I do not deny that her information was invaluable. Without it, I could never have formed our plan, and for that, you will have your reward, Wormtail. I will allow you to perform an essential task for me, one that many of my followers would give their right hands to perform…" **

Harry had a look of realization on his face as he remembered what Voldemort was referring to. _'Would give their right hands to perform…'_ Pettigrew had to cut off his right hand…

"**R-really, My Lord? What —?" Wormtail sounded terrified again. **

"**Ah, Wormtail, you don't want me to spoil the surprise? Your part will come at the very end…but I promise you, you will have the honor of being just as useful as Bertha Jorkins." **

"Yeah, but didn't he _kill _Bertha Jorkins?",James asked.

Harry nodded.

"**You…you…" Wormtail's voice suddenly sounded hoarse, as though his mouth had gone very dry. "You…are going…to kill me too?" **

"**Wormtail, Wormtail," said the cold voice silkily, "why would I kill you? I killed Bertha because I had to. She was fit for nothing after my questioning, quite useless. In any case, awkward questions would have been asked if she had gone back to the Ministry with the news that she had met you on her holidays. Wizards who are supposed to be dead would do well not to run into Ministry of Magic witches at wayside inns…" **

**Wormtail muttered something so quietly that Frank could not hear it, but it made the second man laugh — an entirely mirthless laugh, cold as his speech. **

"**We could have modified her memory? But Memory Charms can be broken by a powerful wizard, as I proved when I questioned her. It would be an insult to her memory not to use the information I extracted from her, Wormtail." **

**Out in the corridor, Frank suddenly became aware that the hand gripping his walking stick was slippery with sweat. The man with the cold voice had killed a woman. He was talking about it without any kind of remorse — with amusement. He was dangerous — a madman.**

"Defiantly."

**And he was planning more murders — this boy, Harry Potter, whoever he was — was in danger — Frank knew what he must do. Now, if ever, was the time to go to the police. He would creep out of the house **

"Yes! Leave!", Lily said, not wanting Voldemort to kill Frank too.

**and head straight for the telephone box in the village…but the cold voice was speaking again, and Frank remained where he was, frozen to the spot, listening with all his might. **

"**One more murder…my faithful servant at Hogwarts…Harry Potter is as good as mine, Wormtail. It is decided. There will be no more argument. But quiet…I think I hear Nagini…" **

**And the second man's voice changed. He started making noises such as Frank had never heard before; he was hissing and spitting without drawing breath. Frank thought he must be having some sort of fit or seizure. **

"_Is that what Parseltongue sounds like to people who don't speak it?", _Seth asked.

Harry nodded, _"Yeah."_

They all looked at Harry and Seth before turning back to the book.

**And then Frank heard movement behind him in the dark passageway. He turned to look, and found himself paralyzed with fright. Something was slithering toward him along the dark corridor floor, and as it drew nearer to the sliver of firelight, he realized with a thrill of terror that it was a gigantic snake, at least twelve feet long. **

"Get out of there before it kills you!", James shouted.

**Horrified, transfixed, Frank stared as its undulating body cut a wide, curving track through the thick dust on the floor, coming closer and closer — What was he to do? The only means of escape was into the room where the two men sat**

"That's an even worse idea, just run past the snake and GET OUT!", Sirius shouted, forgetting Frank couldn't possibly hear him.

**plotting murder, yet if he stayed where he was the snake would surely kill him — **

**But before he had made his decision, the snake was level with him, and then, incredibly, miraculously, it was passing; it was following the spitting, hissing noises made by the cold voice beyond the door, and in seconds, the tip of its diamond-patterned tail had vanished through the gap. **

"Good, now _get out_!", Lily advised Frank.

**There was sweat on Frank's forehead now, and the hand on the walking stick was trembling. Inside the room, the cold voice was continuing to hiss, and Frank was visited by a strange idea, an impossible idea…**_**This man could talk to snakes**_**. Frank didn't understand what was going on. He wanted more than anything to be back in his bed with his hot-water bottle.**

"Great idea, just get out of the house!"

**The problem was that his legs didn't seem to want to move.**

**As he stood there shaking and trying to master himself, the cold voice switched abruptly to English again. **

"**Nagini has interesting news, Wormtail," it said. **

"**In-indeed, My Lord?" said Wormtail. **

"**Indeed, yes," said the voice, "According to Nagini, there is an old Muggle standing right outside this room, listening to every word we say." **

"Oh no.", Sirius moaned.

"Frank's dead.", James said sadly.

**Frank didn't have a chance to hide himself. There were footsteps and then the door of the room was flung wide open. **

**A short, balding man with graying hair, a pointed nose, and small, watery eyes stood before Frank, a mixture of fear and alarm in his face. **

"**Invite him inside, Wormtail. Where are your manners?" The cold voice was coming from the ancient armchair before the fire, but Frank couldn't see the speaker. The snake, on the other hand, was curled up on the rotting hearth rug, like some horrible travesty of a pet dog.**

"I recent that.", Sirius muttered.

**Wormtail beckoned Frank into the room. Though still deeply shaken, Frank took a firmer grip on his walking stick and limped over the threshold. **

**The fire was the only source of light in the room; it cast long, spidery shadows upon the walls. Frank stared at the back of the armchair; the man inside it seemed to be even smaller than his servant, for Frank couldn't even see the back of his head. **

"**You heard everything, Muggle?" said the cold voice. **

"**What's that you're calling me?" said Frank defiantly, for now that he was inside the room, now that the time had come for some sort of action, he felt braver; it had always been so in the war. **

"**I am calling you a Muggle," said the voice coolly. "It means that you are not a wizard." **

"**I don't know what you mean by wizard," said Frank, his voice growing steadier. "All I know is I've heard enough to interest the police tonight, I have. You've done murder and you're planning more! And I'll tell you this too," he added, on a sudden inspiration, "my wife knows I'm up here, and if I don't come back —" **

"**You have no wife," said the cold voice, very quietly. "Nobody knows you are here. You told nobody that you were coming. Do not lie to Lord Voldemort, Muggle, for he knows…he always knows…" **

"**Is that right?" said Frank roughly. "Lord, is it? Well, I don't think much of your manners, My Lord. Turn 'round and face me like a man, why don't you?" **

"He shouldn't have said that.", Ron said.

"**But I am not a man, Muggle," said the cold voice, barely audible now over the crackling of the flames. "I am much, much more than a man. However…why not? I will face you…Wormtail, come turn my chair around." **

**The servant gave a whimper. **

"**You heard me, Wormtail." **

**Slowly, with his face screwed up, as though he would rather have done anything than approach his master and the hearth rug where the snake lay, the small man walked forward and began to turn the chair. The snake lifted its ugly triangular head and hissed slightly as the legs of the chair snagged on its rug. **

**And then the chair was facing Frank, and he saw what was sitting in it. His walking stick fell to the floor with a clatter. He opened his mouth and let out a scream. He was screaming so loudly that he never heard the words the thing in the chair spoke as it raised a wand. There was a flash of green light, a rushing sound, and Frank Bryce crumpled. He was dead before he hit the floor. **

**Two hundred miles away, the boy called Harry Potter woke with a start. **

"You _dreamt_ all that?!", James asked Harry.

Harry nodded.

"_So it didn't really happen?"_, Seth asked.

"No, it happened.", Harry said in English, because Lily had asked the same question, "I just saw it as It happened."

"_What __**are **__you talking about boy?", _Seth asked.

"_My name is Harry not 'boy'_.", Harry said irritably, so only Seth would hear and then added in English, "It has something to do with my scar, it's some kind of connection between me and Voldemort."

They nodded, still a little confused and Remus handed the book to Sirius.

**Author's Note: I think my favorite character to write about is Seth now. I love making him comment. It's fun writing a mean character.**


	3. The Scar

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

**CHAPTER TWO **

**THE SCAR **

**Harry lay flat on his back, breathing hard as though he had been running. He had awoken from a vivid dream with his hands pressed over his face. The old scar on his forehead, which was shaped like a bolt of lightning, was burning beneath his fingers as though someone had just pressed a white-hot wire to his skin. **

Harry fingered his scar absent-mindedly as Sirius said, "Ow."

**He sat up, one hand still on his scar, the other hand reaching out in the darkness for his glasses, which were on the bedside table. He put them on and his bedroom came into clearer focus, lit by a faint, misty orange light that was filtering through the curtains from the street lamp outside the window. **

**Harry ran his fingers over the scar again. It was still painful.**

Harry smiled at the thought of his scar no longer troubling him, Voldemort was gone in his time.

**He turned on the lamp beside him, scrambled out of bed, crossed the room, opened his wardrobe, and peered into the mirror on the inside of the door. A skinny boy of fourteen looked back at him, his bright green eyes puzzled under his untidy black hair. He examined the lightning-bolt scar of his reflection more closely. It looked normal, but it was still stinging. **

**Harry tried to recall what he had been dreaming about before he had awoken. It had seemed so real…There had been two people he knew and one he didn't…He concentrated hard, frowning, trying to remember…The dim picture of a darkened room came to him…There had been a snake on a hearth rug…a small man called Peter, nicknamed Wormtail…and a cold, high voice…the voice of Lord Voldemort. Harry felt as though an ice cube had slipped down into his stomach at the very thought… **

**He closed his eyes tightly and tried to remember what Voldemort had looked like, but it was impossible…All Harry knew was that at the moment when Voldemort's chair had swung around, and he, Harry, had seen what was sitting in it, he had felt a spasm of horror, which had awoken him…or had that been the pain in his scar? **

**And who had the old man been? For there had definitely been an old man; Harry had watched him fall to the ground. It was all becoming confused. Harry put his face into his hands, blocking out his bedroom, trying to hold on to the picture of that dimly lit room, but it was like trying to keep water in his cupped hands; the details were now trickling away as fast as he tried to hold on to them…Voldemort and Wormtail had been talking about someone they had killed, though Harry could not remember the name…and they had been plotting to kill someone else…him! **

"Yeah, that worried me a bit.", Harry muttered, causing a few of them to laugh.

**Harry took his face out of his hands, opened his eyes, and stared around his bedroom as though expecting to see something unusual there. As it happened, there was an extraordinary number of unusual things in this room.**

**A large wooden trunk stood open at the foot of his bed, revealing a cauldron, broomstick, black robes, and assorted spellbooks. Rolls of parchment littered that part of his desk that was not taken up by the large, empty cage in which his snowy owl, Hedwig, usually perched. On the floor beside his bed a book lay open; Harry had been reading it before he fell asleep last night. The pictures in this book were all moving. Men in bright orange robes were zooming in and out of sight on broomsticks, throwing a red ball to one another. **

**Harry walked over to the book, picked it up, and watched one of the wizards score a spectacular goal by putting the ball through a fifty-foot-high hoop. Then he snapped the book shut. Even Quidditch — in Harry's opinion, the best sport in the world — couldn't distract him at the moment. **

James looked aghast.

"_He has an unnatural obsession with that sport._", Seth hissed, causing Harry to laugh.

"What?", James asked.

"He said you 'have an unnatural obsession.' ", Harry said.

Everyone except James started laughing. James glared at Seth but decided it best not to do anything to the snake.

**He placed Flying with the Cannons on his bedside table, crossed to the window, and drew back the curtains to survey the street below. **

**Privet Drive looked exactly as a respectable suburban street would be expected to look in the early hours of Saturday morning. All the curtains were closed. As far as Harry could see through the darkness, there wasn't a living creature in sight, not even a cat. **

**And yet…and yet…Harry went restlessly back to the bed and sat down on it, running a finger over his scar again. It wasn't the pain that bothered him; Harry was no stranger to pain and injury. **

"No kidding.", Harry said bitterly, thinking of all the incidents he had had where he had gotten some personal injury.

**He had lost all the bones from his right arm once and had them painfully regrown in a night. The same arm had been pierced by a venomous foot-long fang not long afterward. Only last year Harry had fallen fifty feet from an airborn broomstick. He was used to bizarre accidents and injuries; they were unavoidable if you attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry **

"Not everyone gets injured at Hogwarts.", James said reasonably.

"Let me read, there's more.", Sirius said.

**and had a knack for attracting a lot of trouble. **

"Oh."

**No, the thing that was bothering Harry was the last time his scar had hurt him, it had been because Voldemort had been close by…But Voldemort couldn't be here, now…The idea of Voldemort lurking in Privet Drive was absurd, impossible… **

**Harry listened closely to the silence around him. Was he half expecting to hear the creak of a stair or the swish of a cloak? And then he jumped slightly as he heard his cousin Dudley give a tremendous grunting snore from the next room. **

**Harry shook himself mentally; he was being stupid. There was no one in the house with him except Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley, and they were plainly still asleep, their dreams untroubled and painless. **

**Asleep was the way Harry liked the Dursleys best;**

"Us too.", Lily agreed.

**it wasn't as though they were ever any help to him awake. Uncle Vernon, Aunt Petunia, and Dudley were Harry's only living relatives. They were Muggles who hated and despised magic in any form, which meant that Harry was about as welcome in their house as dry rot.**

**They had explained away Harry's long absences at Hogwarts over the last three years by telling everyone that he went to St. Brutus's Secure Center for Incurably Criminal Boys. They knew perfectly well that, as an underage wizard, Harry wasn't allowed to use magic outside Hogwarts, but they were still apt to blame him for anything that went wrong about the house. Harry had never been able to confide in them or tell them anything about his life in the wizarding world. The very idea of going to them when they awoke, and telling them about his scar hurting him, and about his worries about Voldemort, was laughable. **

**And yet it was because of Voldemort that Harry had come to live with the Dursleys in the first place. If it hadn't been for Voldemort, Harry would not have had the lightning scar on his forehead. If it hadn't been for Voldemort, Harry would still have had parents…**

Lily and James looked sad and Sirius said, "Must we be reminded of this in _every _book?"

**Harry had been a year old the night that Voldemort — the most powerful Dark wizard for a century, a wizard who had been gaining power steadily for eleven years — arrived at his house and killed his father and mother. **

Lily had a few tears running down her cheeks and James hugged her.

**Voldemort had then turned his wand on Harry; he had performed the curse that had disposed of many full-grown witches and wizards in his steady rise to power — and, incredibly, it had not worked. **

Lily and James smiled as the rest of the room cheered.

**Instead of killing the small boy, the curse had rebounded upon Voldemort. Harry had survived with nothing but a lightning-shaped cut on his forehead, and Voldemort had been reduced to something barely alive. His powers gone, his life almost extinguished, Voldemort had fled; the terror in which the secret community of witches and wizards had lived for so long had lifted, Voldemort's followers had disbanded, and Harry Potter had become famous. **

**It had been enough of a shock for Harry to discover, on his eleventh birthday, that he was a wizard; it had been even more disconcerting to find out that everyone in the hidden wizarding world knew his name. Harry had arrived at Hogwarts to find that heads turned and whispers followed him wherever he went. **

"Yeah, it's really annoying.", Harry muttered.

**But he was used to it now: At the end of this summer, he would be starting his fourth year at Hogwarts, and Harry was already counting the days until he would be back at the castle again. **

**But there was still a fortnight to go before he went back to school. He looked hopelessly around his room again, and his eye paused on the birthday cards his two best friends had sent him at the end of July. What would they say if Harry wrote to them and told them about his scar hurting? **

**At once, Hermione Granger's voice seemed to fill his head, shrill and panicky. **

"**Your scar hurt? Harry, that's really serious…Write to Professor Dumbledore! And I'll go and check Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions…Maybe there's something in there about curse scars…" **

**Yes, that would be Hermione's advice: Go straight to the headmaster of Hogwarts, and in the meantime, consult a book. **

James and Sirius had to keep from saying that Hermione and Remus were a lot alike. They couldn't repress their smiles though, and received a glare from Remus.

**Harry stared out of the window at the inky blue-black sky. He doubted very much whether a book could help him now. As far as he knew, he was the only living person to have survived a curse like Voldemort's; it was highly unlikely, therefore, that he would find his symptoms listed in Common Magical Ailments and Afflictions. As for informing the headmaster, Harry had no idea where Dumbledore went during the summer holidays. He amused himself for a moment, picturing Dumbledore, with his long silver beard, full length wizard's robes, and pointed hat, stretched out on a beach somewhere, rubbing suntan lotion onto his long crooked nose. **

They all laughed, having received a strange mental picture.

**Wherever Dumbledore was, though, Harry was sure that Hedwig would be able to find him; Harry's owl had never yet failed to deliver a letter to anyone, even without an address. But what would he write? **

_**Dear Professor Dumbledore, **_

_**Sorry to bother you, but my scar hurt this morning. **_

_**Yours sincerely, **_

_**Harry Potter. **_

**Even inside his head the words sounded stupid. **

"Hey! You should write to me!", Sirius said happily.

Harry smiled, "I do, it just takes me a while to get that far."

**And so he tried to imagine his other best friend, Ron Weasley's, reaction, and in a moment, Ron's red hair and long-nosed, freckled face seemed to swim before Harry, wearing a bemused expression. **

"**Your scar hurt? But…but You-Know-Who can't be near you now, can he? I mean…you'd know, wouldn't you? He'd be trying to do you in again, wouldn't he? I dunno, Harry, maybe curse scars always twinge a bit…I'll ask Dad…" **

"You know us really well.", Ron told Harry.

**Mr. Weasley was a fully qualified wizard who worked in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office at the Ministry of Magic, but he didn't have any particular expertise in the matter of curses, as far as Harry knew. In any case, Harry didn't like the idea of the whole Weasley family knowing that he, Harry, was getting jumpy about a few moments' pain. Mrs. Weasley would fuss worse than Hermione, and Fred and George, Ron's sixteen- year-old twin brothers, might think Harry was losing his nerve.**

"Yeah, they would.", Remus said, looking pointedly at James and Sirius, who smiled.

**The Weasleys were Harry's favorite family in the world; he was hoping that they might invite him to stay any time now (Ron had mentioned something about the Quidditch World Cup), and he somehow didn't want his visit punctuated with anxious inquiries about his scar. **

**Harry kneaded his forehead with his knuckles. What he really wanted (and it felt almost shameful to admit it to himself) was someone like - someone like a parent:**

"Like a godfather.", Sirius muttered bitterly.

**an adult wizard whose advice he could ask without feeling stupid, someone who cared about him, who had had experience with Dark Magic… **

**And then the solution came to him. It was so simple, and so obvious, that he couldn't believe it had taken so long - Sirius. **

Sirius grinned and yelled, "Finally!"

Harry gave him an amused look.

**Harry leapt up from the bed, hurried across the room, and sat down at his desk; he pulled a piece of parchment toward him, loaded his eagle-feather quill with ink, wrote **_**Dear Sirius**_**, then paused, wondering how best to phrase his problem, still marveling at the fact that he hadn't thought of Sirius straight away. But then, perhaps it wasn't so surprising - after all, he had only found out that Sirius was his godfather two months ago. **

"True.", Sirius said, forgiving Harry for not thinking of him sooner.

**There was a simple reason for Sirius's complete absence from Harry's life until then - Sirius had been in Azkaban, the terrifying wizard jail guarded by creatures called dementors, sightless, soul-sucking fiends who had come to search for Sirius at Hogwarts when he had escaped. Yet Sirius had been innocent - the murders for which he had been convicted had been committed by Wormtail, Voldemort's supporter, whom nearly everybody now believed dead. Harry, Ron, and Hermione knew otherwise, however; they had come face-to-face with Wormtail only the previous year, though only Professor Dumbledore had believed their story. **

**For one glorious hour, Harry had believed that he was leaving the Dursleys at last, because Sirius had offered him a home once his name had been cleared. But the chance had been snatched away from him - Wormtail had escaped before they could take him to the Ministry of Magic, and Sirius had had to flee for his life. Harry had helped him escape on the back of a hippogriff called Buckbeak, and since then, Sirius had been on the run. The home Harry might have had if Wormtail had not escaped had been haunting him all summer. It had been doubly hard to return to the Dursleys knowing that he had so nearly escaped them forever. **

**Nevertheless, Sirius had been of some help to Harry, even if he couldn't be with him. It was due to Sirius that Harry now had all his school things in his bedroom with him. The Dursleys had never allowed this before; their general wish of keeping Harry as miserable as possible,**

Sirius stared pointedly at James and then at the parchment littered table. James sighed and picked up the Dursley parchment and wrote down this offence.

**coupled with their fear of his powers, had led them to lock his school trunk in the cupboard under the stairs every summer prior to this. But their attitude had changed since they had found out that Harry had a dangerous murderer for a godfather - for Harry had conveniently forgotten to tell them that Sirius was innocent. **

"Brilliant Harry!", James said, high-fiving his son.

**Harry had received two letters from Sirius since he had been back at Privet Drive. Both had been delivered, not by owls (as was usual with wizards), but by large, brightly colored tropical birds. **

"Cool Padfoot.", James said.

"I must be somewhere warm then.", Sirius said happily.

**Hedwig had not approved of these flashy intruders; she had been most reluctant to allow them to drink from her water tray before flying off again. Harry, on the other hand, had liked them; they put him in mind of palm trees and white sand, and he hoped that, wherever Sirius was (Sirius never said, in case the letters were intercepted), he was enjoying himself. Somehow, Harry found it hard to imaging dementors surviving for long in bright sunlight, perhaps that was why Sirius had gone South. Sirius's letters, which were now hidden beneath the highly useful loose floorboards under Harry's bed, sounded cheerful, and in both of them he had reminded Harry to call on him if ever Harry needed to. Well, he needed to right now, all right… **

**Harry's lamp seemed to grow dimmer as the cold gray light that precedes sunrise slowly crept into the room. Finally, when the sun had risen, when his bedroom walls had turned gold,**

"One of the best colors there is, Harry.", James said.

**and when sounds of movement could be heard from Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia's room, Harry cleared his desk of crumpled pieces of parchment and reread his finished letter. **

_**Dear Sirius, **_

_**Thanks for your last letter. That bird was enormous; it could hardly get through my window. Things are the same as usual here. Dudley**_**'**_**s diet isn**_**'**_**t going too well.**_

"Of course it isn't!", Lily said, smiling.

_**My aunt found him smuggling doughnuts into his room yesterday. They told him they**_**'**_**d have to cut his pocket money**_

"Wonder how much it is?", Sirius asked bitterly, thinking of how the Dursleys never gave Harry a thing, yet their son was a spoiled pig.

_**if he keeps doing it, so he got really angry and chucked his PlayStation out of the window. That**_**'**_**s a sort of computer thing you can play games on. Bit stupid really, now he hasn**_**'**_**t even got Mega-Mutilation Part Three to take his mind off things. **_

_**I**_**'**_**m okay, mainly because the Dursleys are terrified you might turn up and turn them all into bats if I ask you to. **_

"And I would.", Sirius said, "I think pigs would be a better choice though."

They all laughed until Sirius picked the book up again.

_**A weird thing happened this morning, though. My scar hurt again. Last time that happened it was because Voldemort was at Hogwarts. But I don**_**'**_**t reckon he can be anywhere near me now, can he? Do you know if curse scars sometimes hurt years afterward? **_

_**I**_**'**_**ll send this with Hedwig when she gets back; she**_**'**_**s off hunting at the moment. **_

_**Say hello to Buckbeak for me. **_

_**Harry **_

**Yes, thought Harry, that looked all right. There was no point putting in the dream; he didn't want it to look as though he was too worried.**

"I won't think you've 'lost your nerve' ", Sirius said.

"I didn't want you to get worried about me and risk getting caught to come see me.", Harry said.

**He folded up the parchment and laid it aside on his desk, ready for when Hedwig returned. Then he got to his feet, stretched, and opened his wardrobe once more. Without glancing at his reflection he started to get dressed before going down to breakfast.**

Sirius offered the book to Harry, who took it, causing James to huff.


	4. The Invitation

**CHAPTER THREE **

**THE INVITATION**

"To the Weasleys'?" ,James asked.

Harry nodded and laughed as he remembered Mrs. Weasley's letter.

**By the time Harry arrived in the kitchen, the three Dursleys were already seated around the table.**

"Stuffing their faces, no doubt.", Sirius muttered.

**None of them looked up as he entered or sat down. Uncle Vernon's large red face was hidden behind the morning's Daily Mail, and Aunt Petunia was cutting a grapefruit into quarters, her lips pursed over her horselike teeth. **

**Dudley looked furious and sulky, and somehow seemed to be taking up even more space than usual. This was saying something, as he always took up an entire side of the square table by himself. When Aunt Petunia put a quarter of unsweetened grapefruit onto Dudley's plate with a tremulous "There you are, Diddy darling," Dudley glowered at her. His life had taken a most unpleasant turn since he had come home for the summer with his end-of-year report. **

**Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia had managed to find excuses for his bad marks as usual: Aunt Petunia always insisted that Dudley was a very gifted boy whose teachers didn't understand him,**

"Does 'gifted' mean the same thing as 'special'?, Sirius asked, smiling.

"In this case it does Padfoot.", James said, pushing Sirius over the edge. He started howling with laughter.

**while Uncle Vernon maintained that "he didn't want some swotty little nancy boy for a son anyway." They also skated over the accusations of bullying in the report - "He's a boisterous little boy, but he wouldn't hurt a fly!" Aunt Petunia had said tearfully. **

**However, at the bottom of the report there were a few well-chosen comments from the school nurse that not even Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia could explain away. No matter how much Aunt Petunia wailed that Dudley was big-boned,**

"Godzilla is big-boned, Dudley's FAT!", Sirius shouted.

James gave him a curious look, "Godzilla?"

"It's a muggle movie about a giant lizard."

**and that his poundage was really puppy fat,**

Sirius looked offended.

**and that he was a growing boy who needed plenty of food,**

"And what about Harry?", Lily said angrily.

Harry smiled at having his mother stand up for him and started reading again.

**the fact remained that the school outfitters didn't stock knickerbockers big enough for him anymore. The school nurse had seen what Aunt Petunia's eyes - so sharp when it came to spotting fingerprints on her gleaming walls, and in observing the comings and goings of the neighbors - simply refused to see: that far from needing extra nourishment, Dudley had reached roughly the size and weight of a young killer whale. **

"That big is he?", Sirius said, looking shocked.

**So - after many tantrums,**

"Tantrums?", Lily asked, "Isn't that a bit…"

"Juvenile?", Remus offered.

"Childish?", Sirius added.

"They mean nearly the same thing Pads.", James said, laughing at Sirius.

"I was just saying that for all the simple minded people!"

"Like you?"

Sirius glared at him and gave Harry a mischievous grin.

"_Papel Telepathica, Harry Potter."_, Sirius said, after giving a piece of parchment to harry and taking a blank one for himself.

Harry glanced at the parchment to see Sirius's writing.

Harry looked at Sirius and said, "I'll try."

"_Seth?"_, Harry asked the snake, that had been unnaturally quiet so far this chapter.

"_Yes?"_

"_Can you do something for me?"_

"_Why would I do that?"_

"_Because you would get to terrify the hell out of someone."_

"_I'm listening…"_

Harry hissed something at him and Seth nodded.

Harry picked up the book and started reading, giving Sirius what he hoped was an apologetic look. Seth slithered off his arm unnoticed as Sirius looked disappointed.

**after arguments that shook Harry's bedroom floor, and many tears from Aunt Petunia - the new regime had begun. The diet sheet that had been sent by the Smeltings school nurse had been taped to the fridge, which had been emptied of all Dudley's favorite things - fizzy drinks and cakes, chocolate bars and burgers and filled instead with fruit and vegetables and the sorts of things that Uncle Vernon called "rabbit food." To make Dudley feel better about it all, Aunt Petunia had insisted that the whole family follow the diet too. She now passed a grapefruit quarter to Harry. He noticed that it was a lot smaller than Dudley's. Aunt Petunia seemed to feel that the best way to keep up Dudley's morale was to make sure that he did, at least, get more to eat than Harry. **

James, Lily and Remus looked furious, Sirius growled.

Harry gave them a smile and looked at the area near James. Seth was starting to slither up the couch, heading towards James.

Harry caught Sirius's eye and jerked his head towards James. Sirius had to force himself not to grin and wrote on the parchment,_ I thought Seth wouldn't do it!_

_I couldn't let, _Harry hesitated before smiling and writing_, dad get suspicious._

Sirius turned back to James and watched as Seth slithered and disappeared as he went behind James's shoulder.

**But Aunt Petunia didn't know what was hidden under the loose floorboard upstairs. She had no idea that Harry was not following the diet at all. The moment he had got wind of the fact that he was expected to survive the summer on carrot sticks, Harry had sent Hedwig to his friends with pleas for help, and they had risen to the occasion magnificently. Hedwig had returned from Hermione's house with a large box stuffed full of sugar-free snacks, (Hermione's parents were dentists.)**

James and Sirius looked at Hermione and Lily, clearly not knowing what a dentist was.

Lily rolled her eyes in a Remus-ish fashion before saying, "You two need to take Muggle Studies. A dentist is like a muggle healer that works on teeth only."

**Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had obliged with a sack full of his own homemade rock cakes,**

"Avoid those at all coasts, Harry.", James advised.

Harry nodded and kept reading as Seth gave him a questioning look.

"_Wait a minute."_, Harry hissed.

**(Harry hadn't touched these; he had had too much experience of Hagrid's cooking.) Mrs. Weasley, however, had sent the family owl, Errol, with an enormous fruitcake and assorted meat pies. Poor Errol, who was elderly and feeble, had needed a full five days to recover from the journey. And then on Harry's birthday (which the Dursleys had completely ignored) he had received four superb birthday cakes, one each from Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, and Sirius. **

"How did you get a cake?", James asked Sirius.

Sirius shrugged and nodded his head slightly at Harry, who hissed, _"Now."_ , in Parseltongue.

Seth let out a hiss before slithering onto James's shoulder and slipping down his shirt.

James stiffened, looking horror-struck. Seth flicked his tongue, letting it brush against James's back.

James jumped up and pulled his shirt over his head quickly, making Seth fall, entangled in his shirt, onto the couch.

"_Boy, help me!"_, Seth demanded, as James glared down at the shirt and then at Sirius and Harry.

"_My name's not boy."_

"_Fine. Harry, then. Help me!"_

Harry gave a satisfied smirk and picked up James's shirt, shaking it so that Seth fell out onto the couch.

Lily laughed, sticking her arm out an allowing Seth to slither up it.

James had been busy fuming at the Sirius and Harry and turned around to see Lily's outstretched arm in his face, Seth wrapped around it. Seth struck at James.

He jumped back, tripping on the table and falling to the floor with a CRASH.

Lily let Seth slither off before jumping to James's side.

He groaned and gave her a glare, thought not as intense as the one Harry and Sirius had gotten. No where near as intense.

James let Lily pull him up before snatching his shirt back and putting it on, rubbing his head.

Harry sat back down and Seth went towards Remus. Harry picked up the book and started reading.

**Harry still had two of them left, and so, looking forward to a real breakfast when he got back upstairs, he ate his grapefruit without complaint. **

**Uncle Vernon laid aside his paper with a deep sniff of disapproval and looked down at his own grapefruit quarter. **

"**Is this it?" he said grumpily to Aunt Petunia. **

**Aunt Petunia gave him a severe look, and then nodded pointedly at Dudley, who had already finished his own grapefruit quarter and was eyeing Harry's with a very sour look in his piggy little eyes. **

**Uncle Vernon gave a great sigh, which ruffled his large, bushy mustache, and picked up his spoon. **

**The doorbell rang. Uncle Vernon heaved himself out of his chair and set off down the hall. Quick as a flash, while his mother was occupied with the kettle, Dudley stole the rest of Uncle Vernon's grapefruit. **

They all laughed.

**Harry heard talking at the door, and someone laughing, and Uncle Vernon answering curtly. Then the front door closed, and the sound of ripping paper came from the hall. **

**Aunt Petunia set the teapot down on the table and looked curiously around to see where Uncle Vernon had got to. She didn't have to wait long to find out; after about a minute, he was back. He looked livid. **

"**You," he barked at Harry. "In the living room. Now." **

**Bewildered, wondering what on earth he was supposed to have done this time, Harry got up and followed Uncle Vernon out of the kitchen and into the next room. Uncle Vernon closed the door sharply behind both of them. **

"**So," he said, marching over to the fireplace and turning to face Harry as though he were about to pronounce him under arrest. "So." **

"So what?", Sirius said, growing impatient.

**Harry would have dearly loved to have said, "So what?" but he didn't feel that Uncle Vernon's temper should be tested this early in the morning, especially when it was already under severe strain from lack of food. He therefore settled for looking politely puzzled. **

"**This just arrived," said Uncle Vernon. He brandished a piece of purple writing paper at Harry. "A letter. About you." **

**Harry's confusion increased. Who would be writing to Uncle Vernon about him? Who did he know who sent letters by the postman? **

**Uncle Vernon glared at Harry, then looked down at the letter and began to read aloud: **

_**Dear Mr. and Mrs. Dursley, **_

_**We have never been introduced, but I am sure you have heard a great deal from Harry about my son Ron. **_

_**As Harry might have told you, the final of the Quidditch World Cup takes place this Monday night, and my husband, Arthur, has just managed to get prime tickets through his connections at the Department of Magical Games and Sports. I do hope you will allow us to take Harry to the match, as this really is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity; **_

James let out a sigh of longing.

_**Britain hasn**_**'**_**t hosted the cup for thirty years, and tickets are extremely hard to come by. We would of course be glad to have Harry stay for the remainder of the summer holidays, and to see him safely onto the train back to school. **_

_**It would be best for Harry to send us your answer as quickly as possible in the normal way, because the Muggle postman has never delivered to our house, and I am not sure he even knows where it is. **_

_**Hoping to see Harry soon, **_

_**Yours sincerely, **_

_**Molly Weasley **_

_**P.S. I do hope we**_**'**_**ve put enough stamps on. **_

**Uncle Vernon finished reading, put his hand back into his breast pocket, and drew out something else. **

"**Look at this," he growled. **

**He held up the envelope in which Mrs. Weasley's letter had come, and Harry had to fight down a laugh. Every bit of it was covered in stamps except for a square inch on the front, into which Mrs. Weasley had squeezed the Dursleys' address in minute writing. **

They all started laughing and Harry flipped bacl in the book to show them a picture of the envelope.

"**She did put enough stamps on, then," said Harry, trying to sound as though Mrs. Weasley's was a mistake anyone could make. His uncle's eyes flashed. **

"**The postman noticed," he said through gritted teeth. "Very interested to know where this letter came from, he was. That's why he rang the doorbell. Seemed to think it was funny." **

**Harry didn't say anything. Other people might not understand why Uncle Vernon was making a fuss about too many stamps, but Harry had lived with the Dursleys too long not to know how touchy they were about anything even slightly out of the ordinary. Their worst fear was that someone would find out that they were connected (however distantly) with people like Mrs. Weasley. **

**Uncle Vernon was still glaring at Harry, who tried to keep his expression neutral. If he didn't do or say anything stupid, he might just be in for the treat of a lifetime. He waited for Uncle Vernon to say something, but he merely continued to glare. **

**Harry decided to break the silence. **

"**So - can I go then?" he asked. **

**A slight spasm crossed Uncle Vernon's large purple face. The mustache bristled. Harry thought he knew what was going on behind the mustache: a furious battle as two of Uncle Vernon's most fundamental instincts came into conflict. Allowing Harry to go would make Harry happy, something Uncle Vernon had struggled against for thirteen years.**

Sirius and James growled and Lily and Remus looked angry.

Seth looked up at Harry and said, slightly jokingly, _"Should I be afraid?"_

"_Very."_

**On the other hand, allowing Harry to disappear to the Weasleys' for the rest of the summer would get rid of him two weeks earlier than anyone could have hoped, and Uncle Vernon hated having Harry in the house. To give himself thinking time, it seemed, he looked down at Mrs. Weasley's letter again. **

"**Who is this woman?" he said, staring at the signature with distaste. **

"**You've seen her," said Harry. "She's my friend Ron's mother, she was meeting him off the Hog - off the school train at the end of last term." **

**He had almost said "Hogwarts Express," and that was a sure way to get his uncle's temper up. Nobody ever mentioned the name of Harry's school aloud in the Dursley household. **

**Uncle Vernon screwed up his enormous face as though trying to remember something very unpleasant. **

"**Dumpy sort of woman?" he growled finally. "Load of children with red hair?" **

James and Sirius let out shouts of protest and Sirius found his list which started writing on. (He had forgotten about it and had to write all the offences for this chapter down.)

**Harry frowned. He thought it was a bit rich of Uncle Vernon to call anyone "dumpy," when his own son, Dudley, had finally achieved what he'd been threatening to do since the age of three, and become wider than he was tall. Uncle Vernon was perusing the letter again. **

"**Quidditch," he muttered under his breath. "Quidditch - what is this rubbish?" **

**Harry felt a second stab of annoyance. **

"**It's a sport," he said shortly. "Played on broom-" **

"**All right, all right!" said Uncle Vernon loudly. Harry saw, with some satisfaction, that his uncle looked vaguely panicky. Apparently his nerves couldn't stand the sound of the word "broomsticks" in his living room. He took refuge in perusing the letter again. Harry saw his lips form the words "send us your answer…in the normal way." He scowled. **

"**What does she mean, 'the normal way'?" he spat. **

"**Normal for us," said Harry, and before his uncle could stop him, he added, "you know, owl post. That's what's normal for wizards." **

**Uncle Vernon looked as outraged as if Harry had just uttered a disgusting swear word. Shaking with anger, he shot a nervous look through the window, as though expecting to see some of the neighbors with their ears pressed against the glass. **

"**How many times do I have to tell you not to mention that unnaturalness under my roof?" he hissed, his face now a rich plum color. "You stand there, in the clothes Petunia and I have put on your ungrateful back -" **

"Only after your whale of a son finished with them!", James growled as Sirius asked angrily, "Ungrateful?"

"**Only after Dudley finished with them," said Harry coldly,**

James's mouth hung open slightly.

**and indeed, he was dressed in a sweatshirt so large for him that he had had to roll back the sleeves five times so as to be able to use his hands, and which fell past the knees of his extremely baggy jeans. **

"**I will not be spoken to like that!" said Uncle Vernon, trembling with rage. **

**But Harry wasn't going to stand for this. **

James and Sirius let out cheers and Lily and Remus smiled and nodded their approval.

**Gone were the days when he had been forced to take every single one of the Dursleys' stupid rules. He wasn't following Dudley's diet, and he wasn't going to let Uncle Vernon stop him from going to the Quidditch World Cup, not if he could help it. Harry took a deep, steadying breath and then said, "Okay, I can't see the World Cup. Can I go now, then? Only I've got a letter to Sirius I want to finish. You know - my godfather." **

"Brilliant!", James shouted.

"Go Harry!", Sirius agreed.

They both gave Harry high-fives and he looked either stunned or scared. Not sure which, maybe both…

**He had done it, he had said the magic words. Now he watched the purple recede blotchily from Uncle Vernon's face, making it look like badly mixed black currant ice cream. **

"**You're - you're writing to him, are you?" said Uncle Vernon, in a would-be calm voice - but Harry had seen the pupils of his tiny eyes contract with sudden fear. **

"Be afraid Dursley, be _very _afraid.", Sirius said, smiling and giving a small growl.

"**Well - yeah," said Harry, casually. "It's been a while since he heard from me, and, you know, if he doesn't he might start thinking something's wrong." **

**He stopped there to enjoy the effect of these words. He could almost see the cogs working under Uncle Vernon's thick, dark, neatly parted hair. If he tried to stop Harry writing to Sirius, Sirius would think Harry was being mistreated. If he told Harry he couldn't go to the Quidditch World Cup, Harry would write and tell Sirius, who would know Harry was being mistreated. There was only one thing for Uncle Vernon to do.**

"Your son is brilliant.", Sirius told Lily admiringly.

"Yeah, but with a Marauder for a father and another for a godfather as well as Lily's brain, is it really surprising?", Remus asked.

**Harry could see the conclusion forming in his uncle's mind as though the great mustached face were transparent. Harry tried not to smile, to keep his own face as blank as possible. And then – **

"**Well, all right then. You can go to this ruddy…this stupid…this World Cup thing. You write and tell these - these Weasleys they're to pick you up, mind. I haven't got time to go dropping you off all over the country. And you can spend the rest of the summer there. And you can tell your - your godfather…tell him…tell him you're going." **

"**Okay then," said Harry brightly. **

**He turned and walked toward the living room door, fighting the urge to jump into the air and whoop. He was going…he was going to the Weasleys', he was going to watch the Quidditch World Cup! **

James let out another moan of longing. Harry smiled slightly.

**Outside in the hall he nearly ran into Dudley, who had been lurking behind the door, clearly hoping to overhear Harry being told off. He looked shocked to see the broad grin on Harry's face. **

"**That was an excellent breakfast, wasn't it?" said Harry. "I feel really full, don't you?" **

They all laughed and Harry could here James mutter, "Briallent", through his laughter. Harry smiled at his father before reading on.

**Laughing at the astonished look on Dudley's face, Harry took the stairs three at a time, and hurled himself back into his bedroom. **

**The first thing he saw was that Hedwig was back. She was sitting in her cage, staring at Harry with her enormous amber eyes, and clicking her beak in the way that meant she was annoyed about something. Exactly what was annoying her became apparent almost at once. **

"**OUCH!" said Harry as what appeared to be a small, gray, feathery tennis ball collided with the side of his head. Harry massaged the spot furiously, looking up to see what had hit him, and saw a minute owl, small enough to fit into the palm of his hand, whizzing excitedly around the room like a loose firework. **

"Could you not have found a less excitable owl?", James asked Sirius.

"He was kind of in hiding Prongs.", Remus said, smiling slightly.

**Harry then realized that the owl had dropped a letter at his feet. Harry bent down, recognized Ron's handwriting, then tore open the envelope. Inside was a hastily scribbled **

**note. **

_**Harry - DAD GOT THE TICKETS**_

Harry forgot to silence James and he let out a yell.

Everyone clapped there hands to their ears until James had shut his mouth.

When they had removed their hands from their throbbing ears, James let out another shout and Lily slapped him on the arm.

_**- Ireland versus Bulgaria, Monday night. Mum**_**'**_**s writing to the Muggles to ask you to stay. They might already have the letter, I don**_**'**_**t know how fast Muggle post is. Thought I**_**'**_**d send this with Pig anyway. **_

"Pig?"

**Harry stared at the word "Pig," then looked up at the tiny owl now zooming around the light fixture on the ceiling. He had never seen anything that looked less like a pig. Maybe he couldn't read Ron's writing. He went back to the letter: **

_**We**_**'**_**re coming for you whether the Muggles like it or not, you can**_**'**_**t miss the World Cup,**_

"If you did your father would be very disappointed in you.", Sirius said, causing them all to laugh, even James.

_**only Mum and Dad reckon it**_**'**_**s better if we pretend to ask their permission first. If they say yes, send Pig back with your answer pronto, and we**_**'**_**ll come and get you at five o**_**'**_**clock on Sunday. If they say no, send Pig back pronto and we**_**'**_**ll come and get you at five o**_**'**_**clock on Sunday anyway. **_

They laughed again.

_**Hermione**_**'**_**s arriving this afternoon. Percy**_**'**_**s started work - the Department of International Magical Cooperation. Don**_**'**_**t mention anything about Abroad while you**_**'**_**re here unless you want the pants bored off you. **_

_**See you soon – **_

_**Ron **_

"**Calm down!" Harry said as the small owl flew low over his head, twittering madly with what Harry could only assume was pride at having delivered the letter to the right person. "Come here, I need you to take my answer back!" **

**The owl fluttered down on top of Hedwig's cage. Hedwig looked coldly up at it, as though daring it to try and come any closer. **

**Harry seized his eagle-feather quill once more, grabbed a fresh piece of parchment, and wrote: **

_**Ron, it**_**'**_**s all okay, the Muggles say I can come. See you five o**_**'**_**clock tomorrow. **_

_**Can**_**'**_**t wait. **_

_**Harry **_

**He folded this note up very small, and with immense difficulty, tied it to the tiny owl's leg as it hopped on the spot with excitement. The moment the note was secure, the owl was off again; it zoomed out of the window and out of sight. **

**Harry turned to Hedwig. **

"**Feeling up to a long journey?" he asked her. **

**Hedwig hooted in a dignified sort of a way. **

"**Can you take this to Sirius for me?" he said, picking up his letter. "Hang on…I just want to finish it." **

**He unfolded the parchment and hastily added a postscript. **

_**If you want to contact me, I**_**'**_**ll be at my friend Ron Weasley**_**'**_**s for the rest of the summer. His dad**_**'**_**s got us tickets for the Quidditch World Cup! **_

James gave a sad look and said (though he had implied multiple times), "I wish I could go."

**The letter finished, he tied it to Hedwig's leg; she kept unusually still, as though determined to show him how a real post owl should behave. **

"**I'll be at Ron's when you get back, all right?" Harry told her. **

**She nipped his finger affectionately, then, with a soft swooshing noise, spread her enormous wings and soared out of the open window. Harry watched her out of sight, then crawled under his bed, wrenched up the loose floorboard, and pulled out a large chunk of birthday cake. He sat there on the floor eating it, savoring the happiness that was flooding through him. He had cake, and Dudley had nothing but grapefruit; it was a bright summer's day, he would be leaving Privet Drive tomorrow, his scar felt perfectly normal again, and he was going to watch the Quidditch World Cup. It was hard, just now, to feel worried about anything - even Lord Voldemort. **

Harry handed the book to James.

**Author's Note: Did you people know that they moved the Half-Blood Prince realease date from November to JULY! :( I was all excited to because it was coming in a few months.**

**Oh well. Hey do you people think I should read Twilight? I don't know much about it and if someone could give me a summary...no...an overview (without giving anything away!) of the book.**

**I'll probably read it anyway but...**

**As always, please review. I have school tomorrow and I want to come home to lots of reviews :) I did today and it made my day after a LONG day at school. (I just used the word 'day' in a sentance 3 times...)**


	5. Back to the Burrow

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

**CHAPTER FOUR **

**BACK TO THE BURROW **

"Where?", James asked.

"The Burrow, it's the Weasley's house.", Harry explained quickly.

**By twelve o'clock the next day, Harry's school trunk was packed with his school things and all his most prized possessions - the Invisibility Cloak he had inherited from his father,**

Sirius and James exchanged mischievous looks.

**the broomstick he had gotten from Sirius,**

Sirius grinned.

**the enchanted map of Hogwarts he had been given by Fred and George Weasley last year.**

The three Marauders smiled and exchanged glances.

**He had emptied his hiding place under the loose floorboard of all food, double-checked every nook and cranny of his bedroom for forgotten spellbooks or quills, and taken down the chart on the wall counting down the days to September the first, on which he liked to cross off the days remaining until his return to Hogwarts. **

**The atmosphere inside number four, Privet Drive was extremely tense. The imminent arrival at their house of an assortment of wizards was making the Dursleys uptight and irritable. Uncle Vernon had looked downright alarmed when Harry informed him that the Weasleys would be arriving at five o'clock the very next day. **

"**I hope you told them to dress properly, these people," he snarled at once. "I've seen the sort of stuff your lot **

"_Our lot?_", James repeated, looking irritated.

**wear. They'd better have the decency to put on normal clothes, that's all." **

**Harry felt a slight sense of foreboding. He had rarely seen Mr. or Mrs. Weasley wearing anything that the Dursleys would call "normal." Their children might don Muggle clothing during the holidays, but Mr. and Mrs. Weasley usually wore long robes in varying states of shabbiness.**

"Like future Moony!", Sirius said randomly, causing him to receive a few odd stares.

**Harry wasn't bothered about what the neighbors would think, but he was anxious about how rude the Dursleys might be to the Weasleys if they turned up looking like their worst idea of wizards. **

**Uncle Vernon had put on his best suit. To some people, this might have looked like a gesture of welcome, but Harry knew it was because Uncle Vernon wanted to look impressive and intimidating. Dudley, on the other hand, looked somehow diminished. This was not because the diet was at last taking effect, but due to fright. Dudley had emerged from his last encounter with a fully grown wizard with a curly pig's tail poking out of the seat of his trousers, **

"What?", James asked, laughing.

"Hagrid gave Dudley a pig tail when he rescued me from that hut.", Harry said.

**and Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon had had to pay for its removal at a private hospital in London. It wasn't altogether surprising, therefore, that Dudley kept running his hand nervously over his backside, and walking sideways from room to room, so as not to present the same target to the enemy. **

They started laughing.

**Lunch was an almost silent meal. Dudley didn't even protest at the food (cottage cheese and grated celery). Aunt Petunia wasn't eating anything at all. Her arms were folded, her lips were pursed, and she seemed to be chewing her tongue, as though biting back the furious diatribe she longed to throw at Harry.**

"She's smart not to say anything.", Lily said as Sirius growled.

"**They'll be driving, of course?" Uncle Vernon barked**

Sirius looked a bit grumpy at the 'barked' and James said, "That's a good question."

**across the table. **

"**Er," said Harry. **

**He hadn't thought of that. How were the Weasleys going to pick him up? They didn't have a car anymore; the old Ford Anglia they had once owned was currently running wild in the Forbidden Forest at Hogwarts.**

James and Sirius smiled fondly.

**But Mr. Weasley had borrowed a Ministry of Magic car last year; possibly he would do the same today? **

"**I think so," said Harry. **

**Uncle Vernon snorted into his mustache. Normally, Uncle Vernon would have asked what car Mr. Weasley drove; he tended to judge other men by how big and expensive their cars were. But Harry doubted whether Uncle Vernon would have taken to Mr. Weasley even if he drove a Ferrari. **

"Lily-?", James asked.

Sirius surprised them when he beat Lily to the answer, "It's a really expensive car."

**Harry spent most of the afternoon in his bedroom; he couldn't stand watching Aunt Petunia peer out through the net curtains every few seconds, as though there had been a warning about an escaped rhinoceros. Finally, at a quarter to five, Harry went back downstairs and into the living room. **

**Aunt Petunia was compulsively straightening cushions. Uncle Vernon was pretending to read the paper, but his tiny eyes were not moving, and Harry was sure he was really listening with all his might for the sound of an approaching car. Dudley was crammed into an armchair, his porky hands beneath him, clamped firmly around his bottom. **

James, Sirius, Ron and Harry snickered slightly.

**Harry couldn't take the tension; he left the room and went and sat on the stairs in the hall, his eyes on his watch and his heart pumping fast from excitement and nerves. **

**But five o'clock came and then went. Uncle Vernon, perspiring slightly in his suit, opened the front door, peered up and down the street, then withdrew his head quickly. **

"**They're late!" he snarled at Harry. **

"**I know," said Harry. "Maybe - er - the traffic's bad, or something." **

**Ten past five…then a quarter past five…Harry was starting to feel anxious himself now. At half past, he heard Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia conversing in terse mutters in the living room. **

"**No consideration at all." **

"**We might've had an engagement." **

"**Maybe they think they'll get invited to dinner if they're late." **

"**Well, they most certainly won't be,"**

"Like we'd want to eat with you.", Ron ,muttered.

**said Uncle Vernon, and Harry heard him stand up and start pacing the living room. "They'll take the boy**

"He _has _a name.", Sirius growled.

**and go, there'll be no hanging around. That's if they're coming at all. Probably mistaken the day. I daresay their kind don't set much store by punctuality. Either that or they drive some tin-pot car that's broken d- AAAAAAARRRRRGH!" **

James shouted the "AAAAAAARRRRRGH", and everyone jumped.

Seth hissed disapprovingly and James gave him a wary look.

**Harry jumped up. From the other side of the living room door came the sounds of the three Dursleys scrambling, panic-stricken, across the room. Next moment Dudley came flying into the hall, looking terrified. **

"**What happened?" said Harry. "What's the matter?" **

**But Dudley didn't seem able to speak. Hands still clamped over his buttocks, he waddled as fast as he could into the kitchen. Harry hurried into the living room. Loud bangings and scrapings were coming from behind the Dursleys' boarded-up fireplace, which had a fake coal fire plugged in front of it. **

"They tried to use the floo!", Sirius exclaimed, laughing slightly.

"**What is it?" gasped Aunt Petunia, who had backed into the wall and was staring, terrified, toward the fire. "What is it, Vernon?" **

**But they were left in doubt barely a second longer. Voices could be heard from inside the blocked fireplace. **

"**Ouch! Fred, no - go back, go back, there's been some kind of mistake – tell George not to - OUCH! George, no, there's no room, go back quickly and tell Ron-" **

"**Maybe Harry can hear us, Dad - maybe he'll be able to let us out-" **

**There was a loud hammering of fists on the boards behind the electric fire. **

"**Harry? Harry, can you hear us?" **

**The Dursleys rounded on Harry like a pair of angry wolverines.**

"It's not his fault.", Remus protested.

Harry smiled slightly at all the support he was getting from the (true) Marauders and Lily.

"**What is this?" growled Uncle Vernon. "What's going on?" **

"**They - they've tried to get here by Floo powder," said Harry, fighting a mad desire to laugh. "They can travel by fire - only you've blocked the fireplace – hang on -" **

**He approached the fireplace and called through the boards. **

"**Mr. Weasley? Can you hear me?" **

**The hammering stopped. Somebody inside the chimney piece said, "Shh!" **

"**Mr. Weasley, it's Harry…the fireplace has been blocked up. You won't be able to get through there." **

"**Damn!" said Mr. Weasley's voice. "What on earth did they want to block up the fireplace for?" **

"**They've got an electric fire," Harry explained. **

"**Really?" said Mr. Weasley's voice excitedly. "Eclectic, you say? With a plug? Gracious, I must see that**

The three Marauders and Lily looked at the book strangly and Ron said, "Dad's a bit muggle obsessed."

"A bit?", Harry asked, smiling.

…**Let's think…**

"Yes, let's!", Sirius exclaimed, once again earning him some strange looks.

**ouch, Ron!" **

**Ron's voice now joined the others'. **

"**What are we doing here? Has something gone wrong?" **

"Oh no, Ron," Sirius said, "everything's fine."

Ron gave Sirius a stunned look.

"**Oh no, Ron," came Fred's voice, very sarcastically. "No, this is exactly where we wanted to end up." **

"**Yeah, we're having the time of our lives here," said George, whose voice sounded muffled, as though he was squashed against the wall. **

"**Boys, boys…" said Mr. Weasley vaguely. "I'm trying to think what to do…Yes…only way…Stand back, Harry." **

**Harry retreated to the sofa. Uncle Vernon, however, moved forward. **

"That wasn't very smart.", James muttered.

"**Wait a moment!" he bellowed at the fire. "What exactly are you going to -" **

**BANG. **

**The electric fire shot across the room as the boarded-up fireplace burst outward, expelling Mr. Weasley, Fred, George, and Ron in a cloud of rubble and loose chippings. Aunt Petunia shrieked and fell backward over the coffee table; Uncle Vernon caught her before she hit the floor, and gaped, speechless, at the Weasleys, all of whom had bright red hair, including Fred and George, who were identical to the last freckle. **

"**That's better," panted Mr. Weasley, brushing dust from his long green robes and straightening his glasses. "Ah - you must be Harry's aunt and uncle!" **

**Tall, thin, and balding, he moved toward Uncle Vernon, his hand outstretched, but Uncle Vernon backed away several paces, dragging Aunt Petunia. Words utterly failed Uncle Vernon. His best suit was covered in white dust, which had settled in his hair and mustache and made him look as though he had just aged thirty years. **

"**Er - yes - sorry about that," said Mr. Weasley, lowering his hand and looking over his shoulder at the blasted fireplace. "It's all my fault. It just didn't occur to me that we wouldn't be able to get out at the other end. I had your fireplace connected to the Floo Network, you see - just for an afternoon, you know, so we could get Harry. Muggle fireplaces aren't supposed to be connected, strictly speaking - but I've got a useful contact at the Floo Regulation Panel and he fixed it for me. I can put it right in a jiffy, though, don't worry. I'll light a fire to send the boys back, and then I can repair your fireplace before I Disapparate." **

"They probably didn't understand a single word of that.", James muttered.

Remus muttered something to Sirius and he nodded.

**Harry was ready to bet that the Dursleys hadn't understood a single word of this. **

Sirius gave Remus a glare and passed him some Galleons.

"You bet on me?", James said, slightly stunned.

Remus smiled and had sudden thought, "I apparently could use the money in the future."

Sirius huffed and muttered, "If you weren't so much like your son…."

James and Harry exchanged glances before they each smiled identically.

**They were still gaping at Mr. Weasley, thunderstruck. Aunt Petunia staggered upright again and hid behind Uncle Vernon. **

"**Hello, Harry!" said Mr. Weasley brightly. "Got your trunk ready?" **

"**It's upstairs," said Harry, grinning back. **

"**We'll get it," said Fred at once. Winking at Harry, he and George left the room.**

"What are they going to do?", Sirius asked curiously.

"You'll see.", Harry told him, smiling.

**They knew where Harry's bedroom was, having once rescued him from it in the dead of night. Harry suspected that Fred and George were hoping for a glimpse of Dudley; they had heard a lot about him from Harry. **

"**Well," said Mr. Weasley, swinging his arms slightly, while he tried to find words to break the very nasty silence. "Very - erm - very nice place you've got here." **

"Oh yeah.", James said sarcastically.

"Especially when its covered in dust and ashes.", Sirius added.

**As the usually spotless living room was now covered in dust and bits of brick, this remark didn't go down too well with the Dursleys. Uncle Vernon's face purpled once more, and Aunt Petunia started chewing her tongue again. However, they seemed too scared to actually say anything. **

**Mr. Weasley was looking around. He loved everything to do with Muggles. Harry could see him itching to go and examine the television and the video recorder. **

"**They run off eckeltricity, do they?" he said knowledgeably. "Ah yes, I can see the plugs. I collect plugs,"**

Sirius and James gave the book an odd look.

**he added to Uncle Vernon. "And batteries. Got a very large collection of batteries. My wife thinks I'm mad, **

James and Sirius had to refrain from saying something like, _"She's not the only one."_

**but there you are." **

**Uncle Vernon clearly thought Mr. Weasley was mad too. He moved ever so slightly to the right, screening Aunt Petunia from view, as though he thought Mr. Weasley might suddenly run at them and attack. Dudley suddenly reappeared in the room. Harry could hear the clunk of his trunk on the stairs, and knew that the sounds had scared Dudley out of the kitchen. Dudley edged along the wall, gazing at Mr. Weasley with terrified eyes, and attempted to conceal himself behind his mother and father. Unfortunately, Uncle Vernon's bulk, while sufficient to hide bony Aunt Petunia, was nowhere near enough to conceal Dudley. **

"So his father isn't the size of a whale too?"

"**Ah, this is your cousin, is it, Harry?" said Mr. Weasley, taking another brave stab at making conversation. **

"**Yep," said Harry, "that's Dudley." **

**He and Ron exchanged glances and then quickly looked away from each other; the temptation to burst out laughing was almost overwhelming. Dudley was still clutching his bottom as though afraid it might fall off. Mr. Weasley, however, seemed genuinely concerned at Dudley's peculiar behavior. Indeed, from the tone of his voice when he next spoke, Harry was quite sure that Mr. Weasley thought Dudley was quite as mad as the Dursleys thought he was, except that Mr. Weasley felt sympathy rather than fear. **

"**Having a good holiday, Dudley?" he said kindly. **

**Dudley whimpered. Harry saw his hands tighten still harder over his massive backside. **

**Fred and George came back into the room carrying Harry's school trunk. They glanced around as they entered and spotted Dudley. Their faces cracked into identical evil grins. **

James rubbed his hands together eagerly as Sirius leaned closer to the book. Remus and Lily both looked amused.

"**Ah, right," said Mr. Weasley. "Better get cracking then." **

**He pushed up the sleeves of his robes and took out his wand. Harry saw the Dursleys draw back against the wall as one. **

"_**Incendio!**_**" said Mr. Weasley, pointing his wand at the hole in the wall behind him. **

**Flames rose at once in the fireplace, crackling merrily as though they had been burning for hours. Mr. Weasley took a small drawstring bag from his pocket, untied it, took a pinch of the powder inside, and threw it onto the flames, which turned emerald green and roared higher than ever. **

"**Off you go then, Fred," said Mr. Weasley. **

"**Coming," said Fred. "Oh no - hang on -" **

**A bag of sweets had spilled out of Fred's pocket and the contents were now rolling in every direction - big, fat toffees in brightly colored wrappers. Fred scrambled around, cramming them back into his pocket, then gave the Dursleys a cheery wave, stepped forward, and walked right into the fire, saying "the Burrow!" Aunt Petunia gave a little shuddering gasp. There was a whooshing sound, and Fred vanished. **

"**Right then, George," said Mr. Weasley, "you and the trunk." **

**Harry helped George carry the trunk forward into the flames and turn it onto its end so that he could hold it better. Then, with a second whoosh, George had cried "the Burrow!" and vanished too. **

"**Ron, you next," said Mr. Weasley. **

"**See you," said Ron brightly to the Dursleys. He grinned broadly at Harry, then stepped into the fire, shouted "the Burrow!" and disappeared. Now Harry and Mr. Weasley alone remained. **

"**Well…'bye then," Harry said to the Dursleys. **

**They didn't say anything at all. Harry moved toward the fire, but just as he reached the edge of the hearth, Mr. Weasley put out a hand and held him back. He was looking at the Dursleys in amazement. **

"**Harry said good-bye to you," he said. "Didn't you hear him?" **

"**It doesn't matter," Harry muttered to Mr. Weasley. "Honestly, I don't care." **

**Mr. Weasley did not remove his hand from Harry's shoulder. **

"**You aren't going to see your nephew till next summer," he said to Uncle Vernon in mild indignation. "Surely you're going to say good-bye?" **

**Uncle Vernon's face worked furiously. The idea of being taught consideration by a man who had just blasted away half his living room wall seemed to be causing him intense suffering.**

They all laughed slightly at this but James quickly started reading, wanting to know what the twins had done.

**But Mr. Weasley's wand was still in his hand, and Uncle Vernon's tiny eyes darted to it once, before he said, very resentfully, "Good-bye, then." **

"**See you," said Harry, putting one foot forward into the green flames, which felt pleasantly like warm breath. At that moment, however, a horrible gagging sound erupted behind him, and Aunt Petunia started to scream. Harry wheeled around. Dudley was no longer standing behind his parents. He was kneeling beside the coffee table, and he was gagging and sputtering on a foot-long, purple, slimy thing that was protruding from his mouth. One bewildered second later, Harry realized that the foot-long thing was Dudley's tongue - and that a brightly colored toffee wrapper lay on the floor before him. **

"Those-two.", Sirius gasped through laughter.

"-are-brilliant!", James finished for him, laughing as well.

It took a while for the others to calm the two down.

**Aunt Petunia hurled herself onto the ground beside Dudley, seized the end of his swollen tongue, and attempted to wrench it out of his mouth; unsurprisingly, Dudley yelled and sputtered worse than ever, trying to fight her off. Uncle Vernon was bellowing and waving his arms around, and Mr. Weasley had to shout to make himself heard. **

"**Not to worry, I can sort him out!" he yelled, advancing on Dudley with his wand outstretched, but Aunt Petunia screamed worse than ever and threw herself on top of Dudley, shielding him from Mr. Weasley. **

"**No, really!" said Mr. Weasley desperately. "It's a simple process it was the toffee - my son Fred - real practical joker - but it's only an Engorgement Charm - at least, I think it is - please, I can correct it -" **

**But far from being reassured, the Dursleys became more panic- stricken; Aunt Petunia was sobbing hysterically, tugging Dudley's tongue as though determined to rip it out;**

"_That's going to help."_, Seth hissed sarcastically, somehow managing to roll his slit-pupil-ed eyes.

**Dudley appeared to be suffocating under the combined pressure of his mother and his tongue; and Uncle Vernon, who had lost control completely, seized a china figure from on top of the sideboard and threw it very hard at Mr. Weasley, who ducked, causing the ornament to shatter in the blasted fireplace. **

"**Now really!" said Mr. Weasley angrily, brandishing his wand. "I'm trying to help!" **

**Bellowing like a wounded hippo, Uncle Vernon snatched up another ornament. **

"**Harry, go! Just go!" Mr. Weasley shouted, his wand on Uncle Vernon. "I'll sort this out!" Harry didn't want to miss the fun, but Uncle Vernon's second ornament narrowly missed his left ear, and on balance he thought it best to leave the situation to Mr. Weasley. He stepped into the fire, looking over his shoulder as he said "the Burrow!" His last fleeting glimpse of the living room was of **

**Mr. Weasley blasting a third ornament out of Uncle Vernon's hand with his wand, Aunt Petunia screaming and lying on top of Dudley, and Dudley's tongue lolling around like a great slimy python. **

They al laughed again, trying to get a good mental picture.

**But next moment Harry had begun to spin very fast, and the Dursleys' living room was whipped out of sight in a rush of emerald-green flames. **

James gave the book to Lily.


	6. Weaslery's Wizard Wheezes

**WEASLEY'S WIZARD WHEEZES **

"What?", James

"You'll see.", Harry told him, grinning.

**Harry spun faster and faster, elbows tucked tightly to his sides, blurred fireplaces flashing past him, until he started to feel sick and closed his eyes. Then, when at last he felt himself slowing down, he threw out his hands and came to a halt in time to prevent himself from falling face forward out of the Weasleys' kitchen fire. **

"**Did he eat it?" said Fred excitedly, holding out a hand to pull Harry to his feet. **

"**Yeah," said Harry, straightening up. "What was it?" **

"**Ton-Tongue Toffee," said Fred brightly. "George and I invented them, **

"They invented those?", Sirius asked.

"One of their first, of many, products.", Ron said.

**and we've been looking for someone to test them on all summer…" **

**The tiny kitchen exploded with laughter; Harry looked around and saw that Ron and George were sitting at the scrubbed wooden table with two red-haired people Harry had never seen before, though he knew immediately who they must be: Bill and Charlie, the two eldest Weasley brothers. **

"**How're you doing, Harry?" said the nearer of the two, grinning at him and holding out a large hand, which Harry shook, feeling calluses and blisters under his fingers. This had to be Charlie, who worked with dragons in Romania. Charlie was built like the twins, shorter and stockier than Percy and Ron, who were both long and lanky. He had a broad, good-natured face, which was weather-beaten and so freckly that he looked almost tanned; his arms were muscular, and one of them had a large, shiny burn on it. **

**Bill got to his feet, smiling, and also shook Harry's hand. Bill came as something of a surprise. Harry knew that he worked for the wizarding bank, Gringotts, and that Bill had been Head Boy at Hogwarts; Harry had always imagined Bill to be an older version of Percy: fussy about rule-breaking and fond of bossing everyone around. **

"So Bill must be more like our current Head Boy.", Lily said, staring pointedly at James, who smiled.

**However, Bill was - there was no other word for it - cool. He was tall, with long hair that he had tied back in a ponytail. He was wearing an earring with what looked like a fang dangling from it. Bill's clothes would not have looked out of place at a rock concert, except that Harry recognized his boots to be made, not of leather, but of dragon hide. **

**Before any of them could say anything else, there was a faint popping noise, and Mr. Weasley appeared out of thin air at George's shoulder. He was looking angrier than Harry had ever seen him. **

"**That wasn't funny Fred!"**

"Yeah it was.", Sirius said, smiling.

**he shouted. "What on earth did you give that Muggle boy?" **

"**I didn't give him anything," said Fred, with another evil grin. "I just dropped it…It was his fault he went and ate it, I never told him to." **

"**You dropped it on purpose!" roared Mr. Weasley. "You knew he'd eat it, you knew he was on a diet -" **

"**How big did his tongue get?" George asked eagerly. **

"**It was four feet long before his parents would let me shrink it!" **

The room burst into laughter again.

**Harry and the Weasleys roared with laughter again. **

"**It isn't funny!" Mr. Weasley shouted. "That sort of behavior seriously undermines wizard-Muggle relations! I spend half my life campaigning against the mistreatment of Muggles, and my own sons." **

"**We didn't give it to him because he's a Muggle!" said Fred indignantly. **

"They gave it to him because he's a bullying git.", James agreed.

"**No, we gave it to him because he's a great bullying git," said George. "Isn't he, Harry?" **

"**Yeah, he is, Mr. Weasley," said Harry earnestly. **

"**That's not the point!" raged Mr. Weasley. "You wait until I tell your mother-" **

"Don't do that!", Sirius shouted.

"Yeah if Mrs. Weasley's _anything_ like my mother….", James added, trialing off.

"**Tell me what?" said a voice behind them. **

**Mrs. Weasley had just entered the kitchen. She was a short, plump woman with a very kind face, though her eyes were presently narrowed with suspicion. **

"**Oh hello, Harry, dear," she said, spotting him and smiling. Then her eyes snapped back to her husband. "Tell me what, Arthur?" **

**Mr. Weasley hesitated. Harry could tell that, however angry he was with Fred and George, he hadn't really intended to tell Mrs. Weasley what had happened.**

"She must be like your mother then, Prongs.", Sirius said, now feeling very sorry for his poor reincarnates.

**There was a silence, while Mr. Weasley eyed his wife nervously. Then two girls appeared in the kitchen doorway behind Mrs. Weasley. One, with very bushy brown hair and rather large front teeth, was Harry's and Ron's friend, Hermione Granger. The other, who was small and red-haired, was Ron's younger sister, Ginny. Both of them smiled at Harry, who grinned back, which made Ginny go scarlet- she had been very taken with Harry ever since his first visit to the Burrow. **

"**Tell me what, Arthur?" Mrs. Weasley repeated, in a dangerous sort of voice. **

"**It's nothing, Molly," mumbled Mr. Weasley, "Fred and George just - but I've had words with them -" **

"**What have they done this time?" said Mrs. Weasley. "If it's got anything to do with Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes -" **

"**Why don't you show Harry where he's sleeping, Ron?" said Hermione from the doorway. **

"**He knows where he's sleeping," said Ron, "in my room, he slept there last -" **

"You don't catch on very fast.", Sirius told Ron jokingly, receiving a glare from Ron and a terrifyingly thoughtful looking James.

"Prongs…what are you thinking?", Sirius asked nervously.

"Oh, you'll see.", James said, silently wishing for something which fell into his lap unnoticed by the others.

"**We can all go," said Hermione pointedly. **

"**Oh," said Ron, cottoning on. "Right." **

"**Yeah, we'll come too," said George. **

"Not going to work.", Sirius muttered, still not noticing James as he opened the small bag that had fell into his lap moments before.

He took one of the small sweets out and looked at the label taped to it, _Canary Cream, Modified, Needs to be tested. _James grinned before wishing for some more sweets and replacing them with the ones in the bag, putting the Canary Cream on top.

"**You stay where you are!" snarled Mrs. Weasley. **

**Harry and Ron edged out of the kitchen, and they, Hermione, and Ginny set off along the narrow hallway and up the rickety staircase that zigzagged through the house to the upper stories. **

"**What are Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes?" Harry asked as they climbed. **

**Ron and Ginny both laughed, although Hermione didn't. **

"**Mum found this stack of order forms when she was cleaning Fred and George's room," said Ron quietly. "Great long price lists for stuff they've invented. Joke stuff, you know. Fake wands and trick sweets, loads of stuff. It was brilliant, I never knew they'd been inventing all that…" **

"**We've been hearing explosions out of their room for ages, but we never thought they were actually making things," said Ginny. "We thought they just liked the noise." **

"My mum _used_ to think that.", James said.

"Yeah, then she came to check on us.", Sirius said, shuddering as he remembered getting yelled at.

"**Only, most of the stuff - well, all of it, really - was a bit dangerous," said Ron, "and, you know, they were planning to sell it at Hogwarts to make some money, and Mum went mad at them. Told them they weren't allowed to make any more of it, and burned all the order forms…She's furious at them anyway. They didn't get as many O.W.L.s as she expected." **

**O.W.L.s were Ordinary Wizarding Levels, the examinations Hogwarts students took at the age of fifteen. **

"**And then there was this big row," Ginny said, "because Mum wants them to go into the Ministry of Magic like Dad, and they told her all they want to do is open a joke shop." **

"They should!", Sirius exclaimed.

"Yeah! They'd make loads of money!", James agreed, smiling at the thought of a new joke shop.

**Just then a door on the second landing opened, and a face poked out wearing horn-rimmed glasses and a very annoyed expression. **

"Go away Percy.", James demanded.

"He won't be in there long.", Harry said.

"**Hi, Percy," said Harry. **

"**Oh hello, Harry," said Percy. "I was wondering who was making all the noise. I'm trying to work in here, you know I've got a report to finish for the office – and it's rather difficult to concentrate when people keep thundering up and down the stairs." **

"**We're not thundering, "said Ron irritably. "We're walking. Sorry if we've disturbed the top-secret workings of the Ministry of Magic." **

"**What are you working on?" said Harry. **

"**A report for the Department of International Magical Cooperation," said Percy smugly. "We're trying to standardize cauldron thickness. Some of these foreign imports are just a shade too thin - leakages have been increasing at a rate of almost three percent a year -" **

"What a tragedy.", Sirius moaned sarcastically.

"**That'll change the world, that report will," said Ron. "Front page of the **_**Daily Prophet**_**, I expect, cauldron leaks." **

**Percy went slightly pink. **

"**You might sneer, Ron," he said heatedly, "but unless some sort of international law is imposed we might well find the market flooded with flimsy, shallow bottomed products that seriously endanger -" **

"**Yeah, yeah, all right," said Ron, and he started off upstairs again. Percy slammed his bedroom door shut. As Harry, Hermione, and Ginny followed Ron up three more flights of stairs, shouts from the kitchen below echoed up to them. It sounded as though Mr. Weasley had told Mrs. Weasley about the toffees. **

**The room at the top of the house where Ron slept looked much as it had the last time that Harry had come to stay: the same posters of Ron's favorite Quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons, **

"Are they still horrible?", James asked.

Harry nodded.

**were whirling and waving on the walls and sloping ceiling, and the fish tank on the windowsill, which had previously held frog spawn, now contained one extremely large frog. Ron's old rat, Scabbers, **

Sirius growled.

**was here no more, but instead there was the tiny gray owl that had delivered Ron's letter to Harry in Privet Drive. It was hopping up and down in a small cage and twittering madly. **

"**Shut up, Pig," said Ron, edging his way between two of the four beds that had been squeezed into the room. "Fred and George are in here with us, because Bill and Charlie are in their room," he told Harry. "Percy gets to keep his room all to himself because he's got to work." **

"**Er - why are you calling that owl Pig?" Harry asked Ron. **

"**Because he's being stupid," said Ginny, "Its proper name is Pigwidgeon." **

"And that's so much better…", James said sarcastically.

"It's better than 'Bird'.", Remus told James, smirking slightly.

"Hey! It's not my fault! Sirius named him!"

"No I didn't.", Sirius said.

"Yes you did. You called him a 'dumb bird' and now all he will answer to is 'Bird'."

"Yeah, but he bit me!"

"Can I read now?", Lily asked irritably as James unwrapped a sweet and put it in his mouth. He handed one to Remus, who carefully read the wrapper and cast a variety of spells on it before putting it in his mouth as well.

"**Yeah, and that's not a stupid name at all," said Ron sarcastically. "Ginny named him," he explained to Harry. "She reckons it's sweet. And I tried to change it, but it was too late, he won't answer to anything else. So now he's Pig. I've got to keep him up here because he annoys Errol and Hermes. He annoys me too, come to that. **

**Pigwidgeon zoomed happily around his cage, hooting shrilly. Harry knew Ron too well to take him seriously. He had moaned continually about his old rat, Scabbers, but had been most upset when Hermione's cat, Crookshanks, appeared to have eaten him. **

"**Where's Crookshanks?" Harry asked Hermione now. **

"**Out in the garden, I expect," she said. "He likes chasing gnomes. He's never seen any before." **

"**Percy's enjoying work, then?" said Harry, sitting down on one of the beds and watching the Chudley Cannons zooming in and out of the posters on the ceiling. **

"**Enjoying it?" said Ron darkly. "I don't reckon he'd come home if Dad didn't make him. He's obsessed. Just don't get him onto the subject of his boss. According to Mr. Crouch…as I was saying to Mr. Crouch…Mr. Crouch is of the opinion…Mr. Crouch was telling me…They'll be announcing their engagement any day now." **

"**Have you had a good summer, Harry?" said Hermione. "Did you get our food parcels and everything?" **

"**Yeah, thanks a lot," said Harry. "They saved my life, those cakes." **

"**And have you heard from-?" **

"Shh!", Sirius shouted, "Ginny's in there."

James handed a sweet each to Ron, Harry and Hermione, who handed their sweets to Remus to check before eating them.

James smiled slightly and took the wrapper of the Canary Cream, replacing it with another wrapper.

**Ron began, but at a look from Hermione he fell silent. Harry knew Ron had been about to ask about Sirius. Ron and Hermione had been so deeply involved in helping Sirius escape from the Ministry of Magic that they were almost as concerned about Harry's godfather as he was. However, discussing him in front of Ginny was a bad idea. Nobody but themselves and Professor Dumbledore knew about how Sirius had escaped, or believed in his innocence. **

"**I think they've stopped arguing," said Hermione, to cover the awkward moment, because Ginny was looking curiously from Ron to Harry. "Shall we go down and help your mum with dinner?" **

"**Yeah, all right," said Ron. The four of them left Ron's room and went back downstairs to find Mrs. Weasley alone in the kitchen, looking extremely bad-tempered. **

"**We're eating out in the garden," she said when they came in. "There's just not room for eleven people in here. Could you take the plates outside, girls? Bill and Charlie are setting up the tables. Knives and forks, please, you two," she said to Ron and Harry, pointing her wand a little more vigorously than she had intended at a pile of potatoes in the sink, which shot out of their skins so fast that they ricocheted off the walls and ceiling. **

"**Oh for heaven's sake," she snapped, now directing her wand at a dustpan, which hopped off the sideboard and started skating across the floor, scooping up the potatoes. "Those two!" she burst out savagely, now pulling pots and pans out of a cupboard, and Harry knew she meant Fred and George. "I don't know what's going to happen to them, I really don't. No ambition, unless you count making as much trouble as they possibly can…"**

"But it's so much fun!", Sirius protested.

James handed the disguised Canary Cream to Sirius putting (what seemed to be) an identical one in his mouth.

Sirius watched James out the candy in his mouth and hesitated before putting the Canary Cream in his mouth.

There was a puff of yellow smoke in Sirius disappeared, a small, yellow canary taking his place.

It seemed to take Sirius a second to realize he was a bird, when he did he started twittering angrily.

They all started laughing and Sirius flew towards James.

Seth struck at the bird, just to scare Sirius. It worked; the bird flew wildly off course and hit the wall. Seth gave a satisfied hiss as Sirius flew towards James again, avoiding Seth.

He flew over his head and started pecking him before landing on his shoulder and sinking his small talons in.

James yelped, which caused the others to laugh even more and the bird-Sirius to cheep happily.

Sirius flew off James's shoulder and started pecking his arms. James grabbed the bird and handed it to Remus. He then dug around in the bag before finding a very small sweet and putting it on the table and then taking Sirius back from Remus and letting him eat the antidote. **A/N LOL At first I put 'eat the table' and had to fix it. :)**

Another puff of smoke later and Sirius was sitting on the table, which broke.

Remus mended it as Sirius glared at James.

"What? I knew Ron wouldn't get you back so I had to do it.", James said, grinning.

Sirius decided to glare at Ron too.

James smiled again and wrote on the Canary Cream wrapper, _Tested, wonderful results, test subject, Padfoot. Thanks for the entertainment, Prongs._

He, after putting the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes candy back, wished the bag of sweets to return to Fred and George.

**Mrs. Weasley slammed a large copper saucepan down on the kitchen table and began to wave her wand around inside it. A creamy sauce poured from the wand tip as she stirred. **

"**It's not as though they haven't got brains," she continued irritably, taking the saucepan over to the stove and lighting it with a further poke of her wand, "but they're wasting them, and unless they pull themselves together soon, they'll be in real trouble. I've had more owls from Hogwarts about them than the rest put together. **

"Your mother's probably gotten more owls about us than the entire population of Hogwarts put together.", Sirius said, smiling.

**If they carry on the way they're going, they'll end up in front of the Improper Use of Magic Office."**

**Mrs. Weasley jabbed her wand at the cutlery drawer, which shot open. Harry and Ron both jumped out of the way as several knives soared out of it, flew across the kitchen, and began chopping the potatoes, which had just been tipped back into the sink by the dustpan. **

"**I don't know where we went wrong with them," said Mrs. Weasley, putting down her wand and starting to pull out still more saucepans. "It's been the same for years, one thing after another, and they won't listen to - OH NOT AGAIN!" **

**She had picked up her wand from the table, and it had emitted a loud squeak and turned into a giant rubber mouse.**

They all laughed a little at this.

"**One of their fake wands again!" she shouted. "How many times have I told them not to leave them lying around?" **

**She grabbed her real wand and turned around to find that the sauce on the stove was smoking. **

"**C'mon," Ron said hurriedly to Harry, seizing a handful of cutlery from the open drawer, "let's go and help Bill and Charlie." **

**They left Mrs. Weasley and headed out the back door into the yard. **

**They had only gone a few paces when Hermione's bandy-legged ginger cat, Crookshanks, came pelting out of the garden, bottle-brush tail held high in the air, chasing what looked like a muddy potato on legs. Harry recognized it instantly as a gnome. Barely ten inches high, its horny little feet pattered very fast as it sprinted across the yard and dived headlong into one of the Wellington boots that lay scattered around the door. Harry could hear the gnome giggling madly as Crookshanks inserted a paw into the boot, trying to reach it.**

"Remember when you were chasing gnomes in your animagus form?", James asked, laughing at the memory.

Remus laughed and Sirius frowned, that incident had _not _gone well.

**Meanwhile, a very loud crashing noise was coming from the other side of the house. **

**The source of the commotion was revealed as they entered the garden, and saw that Bill and Charlie both had their wands out, and were making two battered old tables fly high above the lawn, smashing into each other, each attempting to knock the other's out of the air. **

"We should do that!", James said, snatching one of Sirius's lists and writing this down.

**Fred and George were cheering, Ginny was laughing, and Hermione was hovering near the hedge, apparently torn between amusement and anxiety. Bill's table caught Charlie's with a huge bang and knocked one of its legs off. There was a clatter from overhead, and they all looked up to see Percy's head poking out of a window on the second floor. **

"**Will you keep it down?!" he bellowed. **

"**Sorry, Perce," said Bill, grinning. "How're the cauldron bottoms coming on?" **

"**Very badly," said Percy peevishly, and he slammed the window shut. Chuckling, Bill and Charlie directed the tables safely onto the grass, end to end, and then, with a flick of his wand, Bill reattached the table leg and conjured tablecloths from nowhere. **

**By seven o'clock, the two tables were groaning under dishes and dishes of Mrs. Weasley's excellent cooking, and the nine Weasleys, Harry, and Hermione were settling themselves down to eat beneath a clear, deep-blue sky. To somebody who had been living on meals of increasingly stale cake all summer, this was paradise, and at first, Harry listened rather than talked as he helped himself to chicken and ham pie, boiled potatoes, and salad. **

Sirius couldn't stand hearing about the food so he wished some up to eat, making the others look amused.

**At the far end of the table, Percy was telling his father all about his report on cauldron bottoms. **

"Poor Arthur.", Sirius muttered, his mouth full of food.

Lily gave him a disapproving look and started reading again.

"**I've told Mr. Crouch that I'll have it ready by Tuesday," Percy was saying pompously. "That's a bit sooner than he expected it, but I like to keep on top of things. I think he'll be grateful I've done it in good time, I mean, its extremely busy in our department just now, what with all the arrangements for the World Cup. We're just not getting the support we need from the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Ludo Bagman-"**

"Isn't he the beater for the Wimbourne Wasps?", James asked.

"Yeah ,he works for the Department of Magical Games and Sports in our time though.", Hermione said.

"**I like Ludo," said Mr. Weasley mildly. "He was the one who got us such good tickets for the Cup. I did him a bit of a favor: His brother, Otto, got into a spot of trouble - a lawnmower with unnatural powers - I smoothed the whole thing over." **

"**Oh Bagman's likable enough, of course," said Percy dismissively, "but how he ever got to be Head of Department…when I compare him to Mr. Crouch! I can't see Mr. Crouch losing a member of our department and not trying to find out what's happened to them. You realize Bertha Jorkins has been missing for over a month now?**

They all looked a bit pale at this.

**Went on holiday to Albania and never came back?" **

"**Yes, I was asking Ludo about that," said Mr. Weasley, frowning. "He says Bertha's gotten lost plenty of times before now - though I must say, if it was someone in my department, I'd be worried…" **

"**Oh Bertha's hopeless, all right," said Percy. "I hear she's been shunted from department to department for years, much more trouble than she's worth…but all the same, Bagman ought to be trying to find her. Mr. Crouch has been taking a personal interest, she worked in our department at one time, you know, and I think Mr. Crouch was quite fond of her - but Bagman just keeps laughing and saying she probably misread the map and ended up in Australia instead of Albania. However" - Percy heaved an impressive sigh and took a deep swig of elderflower wine - "we've got quite enough on our plates at the Department of International Magical Cooperation without trying to find members of other departments too. As you know, we've got another big event to organize right after the World Cup." **

"What?", James and Sirius both asked.

Harry winced slightly recalling everything, the Horntail, the egg, the maze, the graveyard…

**Percy cleared his throat significantly and looked down toward the end of the table where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sitting. "You know the one I'm talking about, Father." He raised his voice slightly. "The top-secret one." **

**Ron rolled his eyes and muttered to Harry and Hermione, "He's been trying to get us to ask what that event is ever since he started work. Probably an exhibition of thick-bottomed cauldrons." **

**In the middle of the table, Mrs. Weasley was arguing with Bill about his earring, which seemed to be a recent acquisition. **

"…**with a horrible great fang on it. Really, Bill, what do they say at the bank?" **

"**Mum, no one at the bank gives a damn how I dress as long as I bring home plenty of treasure," said Bill patiently. **

"**And your hair's getting silly, dear," said Mrs. Weasley, fingering her wand lovingly. "I wish you'd let me give it a trim…" **

"**I like it," said Ginny, who was sitting beside Bill. "You're so old-fashioned, Mum. Anyway, it's nowhere near as long as Professor Dumbledore's…" Next to Mrs. Weasley, Fred, George, and Charlie were all talking spiritedly about the World Cup. **

"**It's got to be Ireland," said Charlie thickly, through a mouthful of potato. "They flattened Peru in the semifinals." **

"**Bulgaria has got Viktor Krum,**

Ron frowned and Hermione blushed, earning them a few odd looks from everyone and a trying-not-to-laugh Harry.

**though," said Fred. **

"**Krum's one decent player, Ireland has got seven," said Charlie shortly. "I wish England had got through. That was embarrassing, that was." **

"**What happened?" said Harry eagerly, regretting more than ever his isolation from the wizarding world when he was stuck on Privet Drive. **

"That's right, you don't know.", James said, looking horrified at the thought of not knowing what had happened in a Quidditch Match.

"I know Prongs, the end of the world…", Sirius said. James glared at him.

"**Went down to Transylvania, three hundred and ninety to ten," said Charlie gloomily. "Shocking performance. And Wales lost to Uganda, and Scotland was slaughtered by Luxembourg." **

**Harry had been on the Gryffindor House Quidditch team ever since his first year at Hogwarts and owned one of the best racing brooms in the world, a Firebolt.**

"Thanks to Padfoot.", James said, grinning at his best friend.

**Flying came more naturally to Harry than anything else in the magical world, and he played in the position of Seeker on the Gryffindor House team. **

**Mr. Weasley conjured up candles to light the darkening garden before they had their homemade strawberry ice cream, and by the time they had finished, moths were fluttering low over the table, and the warm air was perfumed with the smells of grass and honeysuckle. Harry was feeling extremely well fed and at peace with the world as he watched several gnomes sprinting through the rosebushes, laughing madly and closely pursued by Crookshanks.**

**Ron looked carefully up the table to check that the rest of the family were all busy talking, then he said very quietly to Harry, "So - have you heard from Sirius lately?" **

**Hermione looked around, listening closely. **

"**Yeah," said Harry softly, "twice. He sounds okay. I wrote to him yesterday. He might write back while I'm here." **

**He suddenly remembered the reason he had written to Sirius, and for a moment was on the verge of telling Ron and Hermione about his scar hurting again, and about the dream that had awoken him…but he really didn't want to worry them just now, not when he himself was feeling so happy and peaceful. **

"**Look at the time," Mrs. Weasley said suddenly, checking her wristwatch. "You really should be in bed, the whole lot of you you'll be up at the crack of dawn to get to the Cup. Harry, if you leave your school list out, I'll get your things for you tomorrow in Diagon Alley. I'm getting everyone else's. There might not be time after the World Cup, **

Lily barely got James silenced in time.

**the match went on for five days last time." **

"**Wow - hope it does this time!" said Harry enthusiastically. **

"**Well, I certainly don't," said Percy sanctimoniously. "I shudder to think what the state of my in-tray would be if I was away from work for five days." **

"**Yeah, someone might slip dragon dung in it again, eh, Perce?" said Fred. **

"**That was a sample of fertilizer from Norway!" said Percy, going very red in the face. "It was nothing personal!" **

"**It was," Fred whispered to Harry as they got up from the table. "We sent it." **

They all started laughing and Lily handed the book to Remus.


	7. The Portkey

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

**CHAPTER SIX **

**THE PORTKEY **

"So that's how they're getting to the Cup.", Remus said.

**Harry felt as though he had barely lain down to steep in Ron's room when he was being shaken awake by Mrs. Weasley. **

"**Time to go, Harry, dear," she whispered, moving away to wake Ron. **

**Harry felt around for his glasses, put them on, and sat up. It was still dark outside. **

"How early is it?", James cried.

**Ron muttered indistinctly as his mother roused him. At the foot of Harry's mattress he saw two large, disheveled shapes emerging from tangles of blankets. **

"'**S' time already?" said Fred groggily. **

**They dressed in silence, too sleepy to talk, then, yawning and stretching, the four of them headed downstairs into the kitchen. **

**Mrs. Weasley was stirring the contents of a large pot on the stove, while Mr. Weasley was sitting at the table, checking a sheaf of large parchment tickets. He looked up as the boys entered and spread his arms so that they could see his clothes more clearly. He was wearing what appeared to be a golfing sweater and a very old pair of jeans, slightly too big for him and held up with a thick leather belt. **

"**What d'you think?" he asked anxiously. "We're supposed to go incognito - do I look like a Muggle, Harry?" **

"**Yeah," said Harry, smiling, "very good." **

"**Where're Bill and Charlie and Per-Per-Percy?" said George, failing to stifle a huge yawn. **

"**Well, they're Apparating, aren't they?" said Mrs. Weasley, heaving the large pot over to the table and starting to ladle porridge into bowls. "So they can have a bit of a lie-in." **

"Lucky.", Ron muttered.

**Harry knew that Apparating meant disappearing from one place and reappearing almost instantly in another, but had never known any Hogwarts student to do it, and understood that it was very difficult. **

"And painful.", James muttered, thinking of splinching.

"**So they're still in bed?" said Fred grumpily, pulling his bowl of porridge toward him. "Why can't we Apparate too?" **

"**Because you're not of age and you haven't passed your test," snapped Mrs. Weasley. "And where have those girls got to?" **

**She bustled out of the kitchen and they heard her climbing the stairs. **

"**You have to pass a test to Apparate?" Harry asked. **

"**Oh yes," said Mr. Weasley, tucking the tickets safely into the back pocket of his jeans. "The Department of Magical Transportation had to fine a couple of people the other day for Apparating without a license. It's not easy, Apparition, and when it's not done properly it can lead to nasty complications. This pair I'm talking about went and splinched themselves." **

**Everyone around the table except Harry winced. **

"**Er - splinched?" said Harry. **

"**They left half of themselves behind," said Mr. Weasley, now spooning large amounts of treacle onto his porridge. "So, of course, they were stuck. Couldn't move either way. Had to wait for the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad to sort them out. Meant a fair old bit of paperwork, I can tell you, what with the Muggles who spotted the body parts they'd left behind…" **

**Harry had a sudden vision of a pair of legs and an eyeball lying abandoned on the pavement of Privet Drive. **

They all laughed a little at this.

"What if the Dursleys found them?", Sirius said, smiling.

"**Were they okay?" he asked, startled. **

"**Oh yes," said Mr. Weasley matter-of-factly. "But they got a heavy fine, and I don't think they'll be trying it again in a hurry. You don't mess around with Apparition. There are plenty of adult wizards who don't bother with it. Prefer brooms - slower, but safer." **

"**But Bill and Charlie and Percy can all do it?" **

"**Charlie had to take the test twice," said Fred, grinning. "He failed the first time. Apparated five miles south of where he meant to, right on top of some poor old dear doing her shopping, remember?" **

"**Yes, well, he passed the second time," said Mrs. Weasley, marching back into the kitchen amid hearty sniggers. **

"**Percy only passed two weeks ago," said George. "He's been Apparating downstairs every morning since, just to prove he can." **

James glared at Sirius, "You kept doing that when you learned."

Sirius grinned, "Didn't I land on you once?"

James nodded.

**There were footsteps down the passageway and Hermione and Ginny came into the kitchen, both looking pale and drowsy. **

"**Why do we have to be up so early?" Ginny said, rubbing her eyes and sitting down at the table. **

"**We've got a bit of a walk," said Mr. Weasley. **

"**Walk?" said Harry. "What, are we walking to the World Cup?" **

"You must be like Prongs then," Sirius told Harry, "his brain doesn't work well in the morning."

James and Harry both glared at Sirius.

"**No, no, that's miles away," said Mr. Weasley, smiling. "We only need to walk a short way. It's just that it's very difficult for a large number of wizards to congregate without attracting Muggle attention. We have to be very careful about how we travel at the best of times, and on a huge occasion like the Quidditch World Cup…" **

"**George!"**

James and Sirius leaned in closer to the book.

**said Mrs. Weasley sharply, and they all jumped. **

"**What?" said George, in an innocent tone**

"Not going to work.", Sirius muttered.

**that deceived nobody. **

"See?"

"**What is that in your pocket?" **

"**Nothing!" **

"**Don't you lie to me!" **

**Mrs. Weasley pointed her wand at George's pocket and said, "****Accio!****" **

**Several small, brightly colored objects zoomed out of George's pocket; he made a grab for them but missed, and they sped right into Mrs. Weasley's outstretched hand. **

"That's just evil.", James said.

"**We told you to destroy them!" said Mrs. Weasley furiously, holding up what were unmistakably more Ton-Tongue Toffees. "We told you to get rid of the lot! Empty your pockets, go on, both of you!" **

**It was an unpleasant scene; the twins had evidently been trying to smuggle as many toffees out of the house as possible, and it was only by using her Summoning Charm that Mrs. Weasley managed to find them all. **

"**Accio! Accio! Accio!****" she shouted, and toffees zoomed from all sorts of unlikely places, including the lining of George's jacket and the turn-ups of Fred's jeans. **

"**We spent six months developing those!" Fred shouted at his mother as she threw the toffees away. **

"She threw them away?!", Sirius shouted.

James seemed unable to speak because he just nodded his head furiously.

Lily looked at them a bit amused, "Six months?"

"Yeah! And then she _throws them away_!", Sirius shouted again.

After they had calmed down Remus started reading again.

"**Oh a fine way to spend six months!" she shrieked. "No wonder you didn't get more O.W.L.s!" **

**All in all, the atmosphere was not very friendly as they took their departure. Mrs. Weasley was still glowering as she kissed Mr. Weasley on the cheek, though not nearly as much as the twins, who had each hoisted their rucksacks onto their backs and walked out without a word to her. **

"**Well, have a lovely time," said Mrs. Weasley, "and behave yourselves," she called after the twins'**

"Like that's going to happen.", Sirius snorted.

**retreating backs, but they did not look back or answer. "I'll send Bill, Charlie, and Percy along around midday," Mrs. Weasley said to Mr. Weasley, as he, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny set off across the dark yard after Fred and George. **

**It was chilly and the moon was still out. Only a dull, greenish tinge along the horizon to their right showed that daybreak was drawing closer. Harry, having been thinking about thousands of wizards speeding toward the Quidditch World Cup, sped up to walk with Mr. Weasley. **

"**So how does everyone get there without all the Muggles noticing?" he asked. **

"**It's been a massive organizational problem," sighed Mr. Weasley. "The trouble is, about a hundred thousand wizards turn up at the World Cup, and of course, we just haven't got a magical site big enough to accommodate them all. There are places Muggles can't penetrate, but imagine trying to pack a hundred thousand wizards into Diagon Alley or platform nine and three-quarters.**

**So we had to find a nice deserted moor, and set up as many anti-Muggle precautions as possible. The whole Ministry's been working on it for months. First, of course, we have to stagger the arrivals. People with cheaper tickets have to arrive two weeks beforehand. A limited number use Muggle transport, but we can't have too many clogging up their buses and trains - remember, wizards are coming from all over the world. Some Apparate, of course, but we have to set up safe points for them to appear, well away from Muggles. I believe there's a handy wood they're using as the Apparition point. For those who don't want to Apparate, or can't, we use Portkeys. **

"**They're objects that are used to transport wizards from one spot to another at a prearranged time. You can do large groups at a time if you need to. There have been two hundred Portkeys placed at strategic points around Britain, and the nearest one to us is up at the top of Stoatshead Hill, so that's where we're headed." **

**Mr. Weasley pointed ahead of them, where a large black mass rose beyond the village of Ottery St. Catchpole. **

"**What sort of objects are Portkeys?" said Harry curiously. **

"**Well, they can be anything," said Mr. Weasley. "Unobtrusive things, obviously, so Muggles don't go picking them up and playing with them…stuff they'll just think is litter…"**

"What would happen if a muggle picked a portkey up and moved it or threw it away?", Sirius asked. The others shrugged and Remus kept reading.

**They trudged down the dark, dank lane toward the village, the silence broken only by their footsteps. The sky lightened very slowly as they made their way through the village, its inky blackness diluting to deepest blue. Harry's hands and feet were freezing. Mr. Weasley kept checking his watch. **

**They didn't have breath to spare for talking as they began to climb Stoatshead Hill, stumbling occasionally in hidden rabbit holes, slipping on thick black tuffets of grass. Each breath Harry took was sharp in his chest and his legs were starting to seize up when, at last, his feet found level ground. **

"**Whew," panted Mr. Weasley, taking off his glasses and wiping them on his sweater. "Well, we've made good time - we've got ten minutes." **

**Hermione came over the crest of the hill last, clutching a stitch in her side. **

"**Now we just need the Portkey," said Mr. Weasley, replacing his glasses and squinting around at the ground. "It won't be big…Come on…" **

**They spread out, searching. They had only been at it for a couple of minutes, however, when a shout rent the still air. **

"**Over here, Arthur! Over here, son, we've got it." **

**Two tall figures were silhouetted against the starry sky on the other side of the hilltop. **

"**Amos!"**

"Not Amos Diggory.". Sirius groaned. James growled and Lily started laughing.

Harry gave Remus a questioning look, "Lily dated Amos Diggory in our 6th year.", he explained, watching James growl and grumble.

**said Mr. Weasley, smiling as he strode over to the man who had shouted. The rest of them followed. **

**Mr. Weasley was shaking hands with a ruddy-faced wizard with a scrubby brown beard, who was holding a moldy-looking old boot in his other hand. **

"**This is Amos Diggory,**

James cursed and Lily hit him on the arm.

**everyone," said Mr. Weasley. "He works for the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. And I think you know his son, Cedric?" **

**Cedric Diggory was an extremely handsome boy **

"Must be like his father then.", Lily said just to get on James's nerves.

James glared at her and muttered something under his breath.

**of around seventeen. He was Captain and Seeker of the Hufflepuff House Quidditch team at Hogwarts. **

"**Hi," said Cedric, looking around at them all. Everybody said hi back except Fred and George, who merely nodded. They had never quite forgiven Cedric for beating their team, Gryffindor, in the first Quidditch match of the previous year. **

"**Long walk, Arthur?" Cedric's father asked. **

"**Not too bad," said Mr. Weasley. "We live just on the other side of the village there. You?" **

"**Had to get up at two, didn't we, Ced? I tell you, I'll be glad when he's got his Apparition test. Still…not complaining…Quidditch World Cup, wouldn't miss it for a sackful of Galleons - and the tickets cost about that. Mind you, looks like I got off easy…" Amos Diggory peered good-naturedly around at the three Weasley boys, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny. "All these yours, Arthur?" **

"**Oh no, only the redheads," said Mr. Weasley, pointing out his children. "This is Hermione, friend of Ron's - and Harry, another friend -" **

"**Merlin's beard," said Amos Diggory, his eyes widening. "Harry? Harry Potter?" **

"That would get on my nerves.", James muttered.

Sirius snorted, "Please Prongs, you'd love all that attention."

James glared at him but didn't say anything.

"**Er - yeah," said Harry. **

**Harry was used to people looking curiously at him when they met him, used to the way their eyes moved at once to the lightning scar on his forehead, but it always made him feel uncomfortable. **

"**Ced's talked about you, of course," said Amos Diggory. "Told us all about playing against you last year…I said to him, I said - Ced, that'll be something to tell your grandchildren, that will…You beat Harry Potter!" **

**Harry couldn't think of any reply to this, so he remained silent. Fred and George were both scowling again. Cedric looked slightly embarrassed. **

"**Harry fell off his broom, Dad," he muttered. "I told you…it was an accident…" **

"At least Cedric's nicer than Amos."

"**Yes, but you didn't fall off, did you?" roared Amos genially, slapping his son on his back. "Always modest, our Ced, always the gentleman… but the best man won, **

"Keep telling yourself that, Diggory.", James growled.

**I'm sure Harry'd say the same, wouldn't you, eh? One falls off his broom, one stays on, you don't need to be a genius to tell which one's the better flier!" **

"**Must be nearly time," said Mr. Weasley quickly, pulling out his watch again. "Do you know whether we're waiting for any more, Amos?" **

"**No, the Lovegoods have been there for a week already and the Fawcetts couldn't get tickets," said Mr. Diggory. "There aren't any more of us in this area, are there?" **

"**Not that I know of," said Mr. Weasley. "Yes, it's a minute off…We'd better get ready…" **

**He looked around at Harry and Hermione. "You just need to touch the Portkey, that's all, a finger will do -" **

**With difficulty, owing to their bulky backpacks, the nine of them crowded around the old boot held out by Amos Diggory. They all stood there, in a tight circle, as a chill breeze swept over the hilltop. **

**Nobody spoke. It suddenly occurred to Harry how odd this would look if a Muggle were to walk up here now…nine people, two of them grown men, clutching this manky old boot in the semidarkness, waiting… **

"**Three…" muttered Mr. Weasley, one eye still on his watch, 'two…one…" **

**It happened immediately: Harry felt as though a hook just behind his navel had been suddenly jerked irresistibly forward. His feet left the ground; he could feel Ron and Hermione on either side of him, their shoulders banging into his; they were all speeding forward in a howl of wind and swirling color; his forefinger was stuck to the boot as though it was pulling him magnetically onward and then - His feet slammed into the ground; Ron staggered into him and he fell over; the Portkey hit the ground near his head with a heavy thud. Harry looked up. Mr. Weasley, Mr. Diggory, and Cedric were still standing, **

"Cedric must've used a Portkey before then.", Lily said.

**though looking very windswept; everybody else was on the ground. **

"**Seven past five from Stoatshead Hill," said a voice. **

Remus handed the book to Sirius.

"Seth sure was quiet this chapter.", Sirius muttered, looking at the snake.

"That's because he's asleep.", Harry said, looking down at the sleeping Seth that was still wrapped around his arm.


	8. Bagman and Crouch

**CHAPTER SEVEN **

**BAGMAN**

James looked excited, "Ludo Bagman?"

Harry, Ron and Hermione nodded as Lily said something that sounded like, "Quidditch obsessed."

**AND CROUCH **

**Harry disentangled himself from Ron and got to his feet. They had arrived on what appeared to be a deserted stretch of misty moor. In front of them was a pair of tired and grumpy-looking wizards, one of whom was holding a large gold watch, the other a thick roll of parchment and a quill. Both were dressed as Muggles, though very inexpertly:**

"Meaning they look ridiculous.", James muttered.

**The man with the watch wore a tweed suit with thigh-length galoshes; his colleague, a kilt and a poncho.**

They all laughed and Sirius wished up another picture.

"**Morning, Basil," said Mr. Weasley, picking up the boot and handing it to the kilted wizard, who threw it into a large box of used Portkeys beside him; Harry could see an old newspaper, an empty drinks can, and a punctured football. **

"**Hello there, Arthur," said Basil wearily. "Not on duty, eh? It's all right for some…We've been here all night…You'd better get out of the way, we've got a big party coming in from the Black Forest at five fifteen. Hang on, I'll find your campsite…Weasley…Weasley…" He consulted his parchment list. "About a quarter of a mile's walk over there, first field you come to. Site manager's called Mr. Roberts. Diggory…second field…ask for Mr. Payne." **

"**Thanks, Basil," said Mr. Weasley, and he beckoned everyone to follow him. They set off across the deserted moor, unable to make out much through the mist. **

**After about twenty minutes, a small stone cottage next to a gate swam into view. Beyond it, Harry could just make out the ghostly shapes of hundreds and hundreds of tents, rising up the gentle slope of a large field toward a dark wood on the horizon. They said good-bye to the Diggorys**

"Good riddance," James muttered, causing Remus and Sirius to laugh.

**and approached the cottage door. A man was standing in the doorway, looking out at the tents. Harry knew at a glance that this was the only real Muggle for several acres. When he heard their footsteps, he turned his head to look at them. **

"**Morning!" said Mr. Weasley brightly. **

"**Morning," said the Muggle. **

"**Would you be Mr. Roberts?" **

"**Aye, I would," said Mr. Roberts. "And who're you?" **

"**Weasley - two tents, booked a couple of days ago?" **

"**Aye," said Mr. Roberts, consulting a list tacked to the door. "You've got a space up by the wood there. Just the one night?" **

"**That's it," said Mr. Weasley. **

"**You'll be paying now, then?" said Mr. Roberts. **

"**Ah - right - certainly -" said Mr. Weasley. He retreated a short distance from the cottage and beckoned Harry toward him. "Help me, Harry," he muttered, pulling a roll of Muggle money from his pocket and starting to peel the notes apart. "This one's a - a - a ten? Ah yes, I see the little number on it now…So this is a five?" **

"**A twenty," Harry corrected him in an undertone, uncomfortably aware of Mr. Roberts trying to catch every word. **

"Nosy muggle," Sirius said, looking slightly amused.

"**Ah yes, so it is…I don't know, these little bits of paper…" **

"**You foreign?" said Mr. Roberts as Mr. Weasley returned with the correct notes. **

"**Foreign?" repeated Mr. Weasley, puzzled. **

"**You're not the first one who's had trouble with money," said Mr. Roberts, scrutinizing Mr. Weasley closely. "I had two try and pay me with great gold coins the size of hubcaps ten minutes ago." **

"Galleons aren't _that _big," James said, trying to imagine carrying hubcaps around.

"He was exaggerating, Prongs," Remus said, "To a muggle they must be huge."

James huffed.

"**Did you really?" said Mr. Weasley nervously. **

**Mr. Roberts rummaged around in a tin for some change. **

"**Never been this crowded," he said suddenly, looking out over the misty field again. "Hundreds of pre-bookings. People usually just turn up…" **

"**Is that right?" said Mr. Weasley, his hand held out for his change, but Mr. Roberts didn't give it to him. **

"**Aye," he said thoughtfully. "People from all over. Loads of foreigners. And not just foreigners. Weirdos, you know? There's a bloke walking 'round in a kilt and a poncho." **

"**Shouldn't he?" said Mr. Weasley anxiously **

"**It's like some sort of…I dunno…like some sort of rally," said Mr. Roberts. "They all seem to know each other. Like a big party." **

"That muggle is too suspicious."

**At that moment, a wizard in plus-fours appeared out of thin air next to Mr. Roberts's front door. **

"_**Obliviate!**_**" he said sharply, pointing his wand at Mr. Roberts. **

**Instantly, Mr. Roberts's eyes slid out of focus, his brows unknitted, and a look of dreamy unconcern fell over his face. Harry recognized the symptoms of one who had just had his memory modified. **

"**A map of the campsite for you," Mr. Roberts said placidly to Mr. Weasley. "And your change." **

"**Thanks very much," said Mr. Weasley. **

**The wizard in plus-fours accompanied them toward the gate to the campsite. He looked exhausted: His chin was blue with stubble and there were deep purple shadows under his eyes. Once out of earshot of Mr. Roberts, he muttered to Mr. Weasley, "Been having a lot of trouble with him. Needs a Memory Charm ten times a day to keep him happy. And Ludo Bagman's not helping. Trotting around talking about Bludgers and Quaffles at the top of his voice,**

"He's not being very careful," Lily said disapprovingly.

"He's just excited," James exclaimed, "The World Cup, Lily!"

Lily shook her head at her future husband's obsession.

**not a worry about anti-Muggle security Blimey, I'll be glad when this is over.**

James looked shocked, "'Glad when it's over', Is he MAD?"

"No, James, he's normal," Remus muttered, "unlike some people."

He looked pointedly at James, who huffed.

**See you later, Arthur." He Disapparated.**

"**I thought Mr. Bagman was Head of Magical Games and Sports," said Ginny, looking surprised. "He should know better than to talk about Bludgers near Muggles, shouldn't he?" **

"**He should," said Mr. Weasley, smiling, and leading them through the gates into the campsite, "but Ludo's always been a bit…well…lax about security. You couldn't wish for a more enthusiastic head of the sports department though.**

Remus's eyes widened, "What if James was the head of the sports department?"

Lily shuddered, "The horror."

James huffed again.

**He played Quidditch for England himself, you know. And he was the best Beater the Wimbourne Wasps ever had." **

James grinned.

**They trudged up the misty field between long rows of tents. Most looked almost ordinary; their owners had clearly tried to make them as Muggle-like as possible, but had slipped up by adding chimneys, or bellpulls, or weather vanes.**

"Looks like they aren't much better than Ludo," Lily said, looking disapproving again.

**However, here and there was a tent so obviously magical that Harry could hardly be surprised that Mr. Roberts was getting suspicious. Halfway up the field stood an extravagant confection of striped silk like a miniature palace, with several live peacocks tethered at the entrance. **

"Who brings peacocks to the World Cup?" James asked.

The others shrugged but Sirius looked thoughtful, _Didn't Lucius Malfoy like peacocks? And the 'miniature palace' sounded a lot like Malfoys._

**A little farther on they passed a tent that had three floors and several turrets; and a short way beyond that was a tent that had a front garden attached, complete with birdbath, sundial, and fountain. **

"**Always the same," said Mr. Weasley, smiling. "We can't resist showing off when we get together. Ah, here we are, look, this is us." **

**They had reached the very edge of the wood at the top of the field, and here was an empty space, with a small sign hammered into the ground that read WEEZLY. **

They all laughed a bit at this.

"**Couldn't have a better spot!" said Mr. Weasley happily. "The field is just on the other side of the wood there, we're as close as we could be."**

James seemed to be in awe.

**He hoisted his backpack from his shoulders. "Right," he said excitedly, "no magic allowed, strictly speaking, not when we're out in these numbers on Muggle land. We'll be putting these tents up by hand!**

"Wonder how many witches and wizards actually did that.", Hermione said.

"Besides dad…probably no one," Ron answered.

**Shouldn't be too difficult…Muggles do it all the time…Here, Harry, where do you reckon we should start?" **

**Harry had never been camping in his life; the Dursleys had never taken him on any kind of holiday,**

Sirius and James growled and Lily took Sirius's list and wrote this down for him.

**preferring to leave him with Mrs. Figg,**

Lily looked thoughtful for a moment, "You think it could be Arabella Figg?"

"Isn't she in the Order of the Phoenix?", Remus asked.

"Yeah! That makes sense. Dumbledore must've gotten her to move there so she could keep an eye on Harry," Sirius shouted.

James and Lily both looked upset slightly,_ they_ should be the one 'keeping an eye' on Harry.

**an old neighbor. However, he and Hermione worked out where most of the poles and pegs should go, and though Mr. Weasley was more of a hindrance than a help, because he got thoroughly overexcited when it came to using the mallet,**

Everyone snickered loudly and woke up Seth, who hissed angrily.

**they finally managed to erect a pair of shabby two-man tents. **

**All of them stood back to admire their handiwork. Nobody looking at these tents would guess they belonged to wizards, Harry thought, but the trouble was that once Bill, Charlie, and Percy arrived, they would be a party of ten.**

"It's bigger on the inside than the outside Harry.", James explained.

Harry gave him a slightly amused look, "I know that."

"Well you didn't."

"I do now though."

"Shut up," Lily advised, getting annoyed.

**Hermione seemed to have spotted this problem too; she gave Harry a quizzical look as Mr. Weasley dropped to his hands and knees and entered the first tent. **

"**We'll be a bit cramped," he called, "but I think we'll all squeeze in. Come and have a look." **

**Harry bent down, ducked under the tent flap, and felt his jaw drop.**

James and Sirius snickered.

**He had walked into what looked like an old-fashioned, three room flat, complete with bathroom and kitchen. Oddly enough, it was furnished in exactly the same sort of style as Mrs. Figg's house: **

"Oh, _great_," James muttered.

**There were crocheted covers on the mismatched chairs and a strong smell of cats. **

"**Well, it's not for long," said Mr. Weasley, mopping his bald patch with a handkerchief and peering in at the four bunk beds that stood in the bedroom. "I borrowed this from Perkins at the office. Doesn't camp much anymore, poor fellow, he's got lumbago." **

**He picked up the dusty kettle and peered inside it. "We'll need water…" **

"_Aguamenti,"_ James said simply, accidently squirting Sirius with a jet of water.

"Oops sorry," James muttered, as Sirius glared at him.

Sirius turned into his animagus and shook the water off him.

They all shouted there protests and Sirius, still in his slightly wet animagus form, jumped on James.

He shoved the dog off and dried himself with a spell.

Sirius turned back and picked up the book. Finding the page, he began reading again.

"**There's a tap marked on this map the Muggle gave us," said Ron, who had followed Harry inside the tent and seemed completely unimpressed by its extraordinary inner proportions.**

"Yeah, but he's grown up with magic," Sirius said.

"_Really?"_, Seth said sarcastically, still angry at the dog for getting him wet.

"You don't say, Padfoot?", James said, giving Sirius an annoyed look.

Sirius glared at him and returned to the book.

"**It's on the other side of the field." **

"**Well, why don't you, Harry, and Hermione go and get us some water then" - Mr. Weasley handed over the kettle and a couple of saucepans - "and the rest of us will get some wood for a fire?" **

"**But we've got an oven," said Ron. "Why can't we just -" **

"**Ron, anti-Muggle security!" **

James snorted, "Yeah right."

Sirius nodded, "Muggles aren't going to come in the tent."

"Just wants to act like a muggle."

Ron nodded, "That's dad."

**said Mr. Weasley, his face shining with anticipation. "When real Muggles camp, they cook on fires outdoors. I've seen them at it!" **

**After a quick tour of the girls' tent, which was slightly smaller than the boys', though without the smell of cats, **

"Lucky," James muttered.

"Shh!"

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off across the campsite with the kettle and saucepans. **

**Now, with the sun newly risen and the mist lifting, they could see the city of tents that stretched in every direction. They made their way slowly through the rows, staring eagerly around. It was only just dawning on Harry how many witches and wizards there must be in the world; he had never really thought much about those in other countries. **

"Oh, there are loads of us," James exclaimed.

**heir fellow campers were starting to wake up. First to stir were the families with small children; Harry had never seen witches and wizards this young before. A tiny boy no older than two was crouched outside a large pyramid-shaped tent, holding a wand and poking happily at a slug in the grass, which was swelling slowly to the size of a salami.**

James and Sirius smiled and the latter stop writing and wrote this down on his 'prank ideas' list.

**As they drew level with him, his mother came hurrying out of the tent. **

"**How many times, Kevin? You don't - touch - Daddy's - wand - yecchh! " **

**She had trodden on the giant slug, which burst. **

"Ewww," Lily muttered, grimacing.

**Her scolding carried after them on the still air, mingling with the little boy's yells - "You bust slug! You bust slug!" **

They all laughed.

**A short way farther on, they saw two little witches, barely older than Kevin, who were riding toy broomsticks that rose only high enough for the girls' toes to skim the dewy grass.**

"I had one of those when I was little.", James recalled.

"You sure you don't still have it?", Sirius asked, annoyed at James's constant interruptions.

**A Ministry wizard had already spotted them; as he hurried past Harry, Ron, and Hermione he muttered distractedly, "In broad daylight! Parents having a lie-in, I suppose -" **

**Here and there adult wizards and witches were emerging from their tents and starting to cook breakfast. Some, with furtive looks around them, conjured fires with their wands; others were striking matches with dubious looks on their faces, as though sure this couldn't work.**

"Muggles live their entire lives without magic," Lily said reasonably.

"Yeah, you'd think we could live a few _days _without it," Remus added.

James and Sirius exchanged horrified looks at the thought of life without magic, even for just a few days.

**Three African wizards sat in serious conversation, all of them wearing long white robes and roasting what looked like a rabbit on a bright purple fire, while a group of middle-aged American witches sat gossiping happily beneath a spangled banner stretched between their tents that read: THE SALEM WITCHES' INSTITUTE. Harry caught snatches of conversation in strange languages from the inside of tents they passed, and though he couldn't understand a word, the tone of every single voice was excited. **

"**Er - is it my eyes, or has everything gone green?" said Ron. **

"Must've came to the Ireland supporters," James said.

Harry, Ron and Hermione nodded while Sirius looked even more annoyed.

"_Silencio,"_ He said, quieting James, who glared at him.

**It wasn't just Ron's eyes. They had walked into a patch of tents that were all covered with a thick growth of shamrocks, so that it looked as though small, oddly shaped hillocks had sprouted out of the earth. Grinning faces could be seen under those that had their flaps open. Then, from behind them, they heard their names. **

"**Harry! Ron! Hermione!" **

**It was Seamus Finnigan, their fellow Gryffindor fourth year. He was sitting in front of his own shamrock-covered tent, with a sandy-haired woman who had to be his mother, and his best friend, Dean Thomas, also of Gryffindor. **

"**Like the decorations?" said Seamus, grinning. "The Ministry's not too happy." **

"**Ah, why shouldn't we show our colors?" said Mrs. Finnigan. "You should see what the Bulgarians have got dangling all over their tents. You'll be supporting Ireland, of course?" **

'Like they'd say anything else.' James wrote with his wand.

"At least he has proper grammar, Sirius," Remus said, smiling slightly.

Sirius silenced him as well but Remus quickly took the spell off non-verbally.

'You stink, Moony.' James wrote.

"Just because I can do non-verbal spells.", Remus replied, motioning for the annoyed Sirius to read.

**she added, eyeing Harry, Ron, and Hermione beadily. When they had assured her that they were indeed supporting Ireland, they set off again, though, as Ron said, "Like we'd say anything else surrounded by that lot." **

'Exactly'

"**I wonder what the Bulgarians have got dangling all over their tents?" said Hermione. **

"**Let's go and have a look," said Harry, pointing to a large patch of tents upfield, where the Bulgarian flag - white, green, and red - was fluttering in the breeze. The tents here had not been bedecked with plant life, but each and every one of them had the same poster attached to it, a poster of a very surly face with heavy black eyebrows.**

Ron growled and Hermione blushed, causing Harry to smile and force back laughter.

**The picture was, of course, moving, but all it did was blink and scowl. **

"**Krum," said Ron quietly. **

"**What?" said Hermione. **

"**Krum!" said Ron. "Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker!" **

James gave the book an interested look.

"I can't believe I used to like that guy.", Ron said, looking as grumpy as Krum on the posters.

"**He looks really grumpy," said Hermione, looking around at the many Krums blinking and scowling at them. **

"**Really grumpy?" Ron raised his eyes to the heavens. "Who cares what he looks like? He's unbelievable. He's really young too. Only just eighteen or something. **

James shouted something, but, being silence, no one heard him.

'Wow,' he wrote, 'Only 18, blimey.'

**He's a genius, you wait until tonight, you'll see." **

**There was already a small queue for the tap in the corner of the field. Harry, Ron, and Hermione joined it, right behind a pair of men who were having a heated argument. One of them was a very old wizard who was wearing a long flowery nightgown.**

Sirius started howling with laughter, and James appeared to be doing the same. Remus unsilenced James, figuring it only fiar he got to comment about this.

**The other was clearly a Ministry wizard; he was holding out a pair of pinstriped trousers and almost crying with exasperation. **

"**Just put them on, Archie, there's a good chap. You can't walk around like that, the Muggle at the gate's already getting suspicious – **

"**I bought this in a Muggle shop," said the old wizard stubbornly. "Muggles wear them." **

"Muggle _women _wear them," James said, still laughing.

"**Muggle women wear them, Archie, not the men, they wear these," said the Ministry wizard, and he brandished the pinstriped trousers. **

"**I'm not putting them on," said old Archie in indignation. "I like a healthy breeze 'round my privates, thanks." **

Lily and Hermione started giggling and Harry, Ron, and Remus had joined Sirius and James in their laughing fit.

After a few minutes of the laughter and giggles Seth got annoyed, _"Can we read now?"_

Harry managed to stop laughing and pointed at the book. They all calmed down and Sirius picked up the book. (but not before he added putting Snape in a muggle nightgown to his list)

**Hermione was overcome with such a strong fit of the giggles at this point that she had to duck out of the queue and only returned when Archie had collected his water and moved away. Walking more slowly now, because of the weight of the water, they made their way back through the campsite. Here and there, they saw more familiar faces: other Hogwarts students with their families. Oliver Wood, the old captain of Harry's House Quidditch team, who had just left Hogwarts, dragged Harry over to his parents' tent to introduce him, and told him excitedly that he had just been signed to the Puddlemore United reserve team.**

"They're a pretty good team," James said, glad Harry's old captain got on a good team.

**Next they were hailed by Ernie Macmillan, a Hufflepuff fourth year, and a little farther on they saw Cho Chang, a very pretty girl who played Seeker on the Ravenclaw team.**

Harry blushed and decided it best to silence James and Sirius.

**She waved and smiled at Harry, who slopped quite a lot of water down his front as he waved back.**

James and Sirius started laughing and Harry blushed even more as Lily said something like, "Aww."

**More to stop Ron from smirking than anything, Harry hurriedly pointed out a large group of teenagers whom he had never seen before. **

"**Who d'you reckon they are?" he said. "They don't go to Hogwarts, do they?" **

"'**Spect they go to some foreign school," said Ron. "I know there are others. Never met anyone who went to one, though. Bill had a penfriend at a school in Brazil…this was years and years ago…and he wanted to go on an exchange trip but Mum and Dad couldn't afford it. His penfriend got all offended when he said he wasn't going and sent him a cursed hat. It made his ears shrivel up." **

James and Sirius exchanged glances before Sirius wrote this down on his list and began reading again.

Lily tutted disapprovingly and shook her head.

**Harry laughed but didn't voice the amazement he felt at hearing about other wizarding schools. He supposed, now that he saw representatives of so many nationalities in the campsite, that he had been stupid never to realize that Hogwarts couldn't be the only one. He glanced at Hermione, who looked utterly unsurprised by the information. No doubt she had run across the news about other wizarding schools in some book or other. **

Harry had unsilenced James and Sirius and they both said, "So much like Moony."

Remus and Hermione each threw a pillow at them, hitting the two in the face and knocking Sirius out of his chair.

Grumbling, Sirius sat back down and found his place again.

"**You've been ages," said George when they finally got back to the Weasleys' tents. **

"**Met a few people," said Ron, setting the water down. "You've not got that fire started yet?" **

"**Dad's having fun with the matches," said Fred. **

"I bet," James said, smiling.

Lily was thinking if all men had some unnatural obsession in something. James and Quidditch, Mr. Weasley and Muggles….

**Mr. Weasley was having no success at all in lighting the fire, but it wasn't for lack of trying. Splintered matches littered the ground around him, but he looked as though he was having the time of his life. **

"**Oops!" he said as he managed to light a match and promptly dropped it in surprise. **

"**Come here, Mr. Weasley," said Hermione kindly, taking the box from him, and showing him how to do it properly. **

**At last they got the fire lit, though it was at least another hour before it was hot enough to cook anything. There was plenty to watch while they waited, however. Their tent seemed to be pitched right alongside a kind of thoroughfare to the field, and Ministry members kept hurrying up and down it, greeting Mr. Weasley cordially as they passed. Mr. Weasley kept up a running commentary, mainly for Harry's and Hermione's benefit; his own children knew too much about the Ministry to be greatly interested. **

"**That was Cuthbert Mockridge, Head of the Goblin Liaison Office…Here comes Gilbert Wimple; he's with the Committee on Experimental Charms; he's had those horns for a while now**

Sirius jotted this on his list and picked up the book again.

…**Hello, Arnie…Arnold Peasegood, he's an Obliviator - member of the Accidental Magic Reversal Squad, you know…and that's Bode and Croaker…they're Unspeakables…" **

"**They're what?" **

"**From the Department of Mysteries, top secret, no idea what they get up to…" **

**At last, the fire was ready, and they had just started cooking eggs and sausages when Bill, Charlie, and Percy came strolling out of the woods toward them. **

"They are so lucky," Ron muttered, he hated getting up early.

"**Just Apparated, Dad," said Percy loudly. "Ah, excellent, lunch!" **

**They were halfway through their plates of eggs and sausages when Mr. Weasley jumped to his feet, waving and grinning at a man who was striding toward them. **

"**Aha!" he said. "The man of the moment! Ludo!" **

James had been looking at Sirius's many parchments and he jerked his head up.

**Ludo Bagman was easily the most noticeable person Harry had seen so far, even including old Archie in his flowered nightdress. He was wearing long Quidditch robes in thick horizontal stripes of bright yellow and black. An enormous picture of a wasp was splashed across his chest. He had the look of a powerfully built man gone slightly to seed; the robes were stretched tightly across a large belly he surely had not had in the days when he had played Quidditch for England. His nose was squashed (probably broken by a stray Bludger, Harry thought), but his round blue eyes, short blond hair, and rosy complexion made him look like a very overgrown schoolboy. **

"**Ahoy there!" Bagman called happily. He was walking as though he had springs attached to the balls of his feet and was plainly in a state of wild excitement. **

"He must be as Quidditch-obsessed as James then," Remus said.

James just shrugged, It _was_ true.

"**Arthur, old man," he puffed as he reached the campfire, "what a day, eh? What a day! Could we have asked for more perfect weather? A cloudless night coming…**

"Perfect conditions for the game," James cried, wishing more than ever he could be there.

Harry wondered bitterly if it hadn't been for Wormtail, would his parents have accompanied him to the World Cup? How would the future change after his godfather, parents and school teacher/friend finished this book series? Would he grow up with parents and other people who truly loved and cared about him? Would he ever of had to face all these things alone, with only Hermione and Ron to help? Would Sirius, Remus and Tonks ever have died? Would his godson have parents? Would _he _have parents?

Harry shook his head, _Stop thinking like that; you'll just go getting your hopes up._

**and hardly a hiccough in the arrangements… Not much for me to do!" **

**Behind him, a group of haggard-looking Ministry wizards rushed past, pointing at the distant evidence of some sort of a magical fire that was sending violet sparks twenty feet into the air. **

**Percy hurried forward with his hand outstretched. Apparently his disapproval of the way Ludo Bagman ran his department did not prevent him from wanting to make a good impression. **

"Pompous git."

"**Ah - yes," said Mr. Weasley, grinning, "this is my son Percy. He's just started at the Ministry - and this is Fred - no, George, sorry - that's Fred - Bill, Charlie, Ron - my daughter, Ginny and Ron's friends, Hermione Granger and Harry Potter." **

**Bagman did the smallest of double takes when he heard Harry's name, and his eyes performed the familiar flick upward to the scar on Harry's forehead. **

"**Everyone," Mr. Weasley continued, "this is Ludo Bagman, you know who he is, it's thanks to him we've got such good tickets -" **

**Bagman beamed and waved his hand as if to say it had been nothing. **

"**Fancy a flutter on the match, Arthur?" **

This gave James and idea, "Do you, Sirius?"

"Sure, 20 galleons Ireland'll win but Krum will catch the snitch," Sirius said, giving the smallest of winks to Harry.

"Not a chance mate, not a chance."

"_What just happened?" Seth asked._

"_Sirius asked me what the outcome of the game was."_

**he said eagerly, jingling what seemed to be a large amount of gold in the pockets of his yellow-and-black robes. "I've already got Roddy Pontner betting me Bulgaria will score first - I offered him nice odds, considering Ireland's front three are the strongest I've seen in years - and little Agatha Timms has put up half shares in her eel farm on a weeklong match." **

"**Oh…go on then," said Mr. Weasley. "Let's see…a Galleon on Ireland to win?" **

"A Galleon?", James asked incredulously.

"What's the point of betting if your only batting a Galleon?" Sirius agreed.

"**A Galleon?" Ludo Bagman looked slightly disappointed, but recovered himself. "Very well, very well…any other takers?" **

"**They're a bit young to be gambling," said Mr. Weasley. "Molly wouldn't like -" **

"**We'll bet thirty-seven Galleons, fifteen Sickles, three Knuts," said Fred as he and George quickly pooled all their money,**

"See? There's a good bet," James said, nodding his approval.

"The more you bet, the more you win," Sirius agreed.

"Yeah but you two are rich."

James and Sirius smiled sheepishly.

"**that Ireland wins - but Viktor Krum gets the Snitch. Oh and we'll throw in a fake wand." **

"**You don't want to go showing Mr. Bagman rubbish like that," Percy hissed, but Bagman didn't seem to think the wand was rubbish at all; on the contrary, his boyish face shone with excitement as he took it from Fred, and when the wand gave a loud squawk and turned into a rubber chicken, Bagman roared with laughter. **

"**Excellent! I haven't seen one that convincing in years! I'd pay five Galleons for that!" **

**Percy froze in an attitude of stunned disapproval. **

James and Sirius rolled their eyes and even Lily and Remus were thinking that Percy was far too serious.

"**Boys," said Mr. Weasley under his breath, "I don't want you betting…That's all your savings…Your mother -" **

"**Don't be a spoilsport, Arthur!" boomed Ludo Bagman, rattling his pockets excitedly. "They're old enough to know what they want! You reckon Ireland will win but Krum'll get the Snitch? Not a chance, boys, not a chance…I'll give you excellent odds on that one…We'll add five Galleons for the funny wand, then, shall we…" **

**Mr. Weasley looked on helplessly as Ludo Bagman whipped out a notebook and quill and began jotting down the twins' names. **

"**Cheers," said George, taking the slip of parchment Bagman handed him and tucking it away carefully. Bagman turned most cheerfully back to Mr. Weasley. **

"They're going to lose," James sang, "and so are you, Sirius."

"**Couldn't do me a brew, I suppose? I'm keeping an eye out for Barty Crouch. My Bulgarian opposite number's making difficulties, and I can't understand a word he's saying. Barty'll be able to sort it out. He speaks about a hundred and fifty languages." **

"**Mr. Crouch?" said Percy, suddenly abandoning his look of poker-stiff disapproval and positively writhing with excitement. "He speaks over two hundred!**

"Yeah, yeah."

**Mermish and Gobbledegook and Troll…" **

"Anybody can speak troll-", James began.

"Basically the same as speaking Slytherian," Sirius finished, "just point and grunt."

"Sure that's not just speaking Potter and Black?", Lily asked.

"I wouldn't say that Lily-Flower, you're a Potter too," James said happily.

"Not yet, I can still insult Potters if I want."

Harry huffed, _He was a Potter too._

"Not you, Harry. Luckily you have most of my brains."

"**Anyone can speak Troll," said Fred dismissively. "All you have to do is point and grunt." **

**Percy threw Fred an extremely nasty look and stoked the fire vigorously to bring the kettle back to the boil. **

"**Any news of Bertha Jorkins yet,**

They all exchanged sad, pitying looks.

**Ludo?" Mr. Weasley asked as Bagman settled himself down on the grass beside them all. **

"**Not a dicky bird," said Bagman comfortably. "But she'll turn up. Poor old Bertha…memory like a leaky cauldron and no sense of direction. Lost, you take my word for it. She'll wander back into the office sometime in October, thinking it's still July." **

"**You don't think it might be time to send someone to look for her?" Mr. Weasley suggested tentatively as Percy handed Bagman his tea. **

"**Barty Crouch keeps saying that," said Bagman, his round eyes widening innocently, "but we really can't spare anyone at the moment. Oh - talk of the devil! Barty!" **

**A wizard had just Apparated at their fireside, and he could not have made more of a contrast with Ludo Bagman, sprawled on the grass in his old Wasp robes. Barty Crouch was a stiff, upright, elderly man, dressed in an impeccably crisp suit and tie. The parting in his short gray hair was almost unnaturally straight, and his narrow toothbrush mustache looked as though he trimmed it using a slide rule. His shoes were very highly polished.**

"He sounds like a lot of fun," Sirius muttered sarcastically.

Harry frowned, _Wait till he finds out Crouch sentenced him to Azkaban without a trial. He'll think he's hilarious then, _he thought.

**Harry could see at once why Percy idolized him. Percy was a great believer in rigidly following rules, and Mr. Crouch had complied with the rule about Muggle dressing so thoroughly that he could have passed for a bank manager; Harry doubted even Uncle Vernon would have spotted him for what he really was. **

"**Pull up a bit of grass, Barry," said Ludo brightly, patting the ground beside him. **

"**No thank you, Ludo," said Crouch, and there was a bite of impatience in his voice. "I've been looking for you everywhere. The Bulgarians are insisting we add another twelve seats to the Top Box." **

"**Oh is that what they're after?" said Bagman. "I thought the chap was asking to borrow a pair of tweezers. Bit of a strong accent." **

"**Mr. Crouch!" said Percy breathlessly, sunk into a kind of halfbow that made him look like a hunchback. "Would you like a cup of tea?" **

"**Oh," said Mr. Crouch, looking over at Percy in mild surprise. "Yes - thank you, Weatherby." **

Sirius and James gave a snort of laughter and started another mad laughing fit with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Lily and Remus.

**Fred and George choked into their own cups. Percy, very pink around the ears, busied himself with the kettle. **

"**Oh and I've been wanting a word with you too, Arthur," said Mr. Crouch, his sharp eyes falling upon Mr. Weasley. "Ali Bashir's on the warpath. He wants a word with you about your embargo on flying carpets." **

**Mr. Weasley heaved a deep sigh. **

"**I sent him an owl about that just last week. If I've told him once I've told him a hundred times: Carpets are defined as a Muggle Artifact by the Registry of Proscribed Charmable Objects, but will he listen?" **

"**I doubt it," said Mr. Crouch, accepting a cup from Percy. "He's desperate to export here." **

"**Well, they'll never replace brooms in Britain, will they?" **

"Never," James said as thought this was the most obvious thing in the world.

**said Bagman. **

"**Ali thinks there's a niche in the market for a family vehicle," said Mr. Crouch. "I remember my grandfather had an Axminster that could seat twelve - but that was before carpets were banned, of course." **

**He spoke as though he wanted to leave nobody in any doubt that all his ancestors had abided strictly by the law. **

"Oh yeah Sirius, then man is hilarious. I can't breath from laughing so hard," James said bitterly, adding Crouch to Sirius's list for 'being boring and taking the fun out of life'.

"**So, been keeping busy, Barty?" said Bagman breezily. **

"**Fairly," said Mr. Crouch dryly. "Organizing Portkeys across five continents is no mean feat, Ludo." **

"**I expect you'll both be glad when this is over?" said Mr. Weasley. **

**Ludo Bagman looked shocked. **

"**Glad! Don't know when I've had more fun…**

"Ludo _is _as obsessed with Quidditch as James." Remus said, looking shocked, he had thought it impossible.

**Still, it's not as though we haven't got anything to look forward to, eh, Barty? Eh? Plenty left to organize, eh?" **

"What are they talking about?" James and Sirius asked together.

Harry simply shuddered at the memory.

**Mr. Crouch raised his eyebrows at Bagman. **

"**We agreed not to make the announcement until all the details -" **

"**Oh details!" said Bagman, waving the word away like a cloud of midges. "They've signed, haven't they? They've agreed, haven't they? I bet you anything these kids'll know soon enough anyway. I mean, it's happening at Hogwarts -" **

"What the hell is he talking about?" Sirius asked.

Lily glared at him but, being on the other side of the room couldn't do anything. Ha. Yeah right. She pulled out her wand and pointed it at Sirius, muttering a stinging hex.

Sirius jumped and grabbed his arm, "Ow, Evans."

"**Ludo, we need to meet the Bulgarians, you know," said Mr. Crouch sharply, cutting Bagman's remarks short. "Thank you for the tea, Weatherby." **

Sirius, still rubbing his arm, and James snickered.

**He pushed his undrunk tea back at Percy and waited for Ludo to rise; Bagman struggled to his feet, swigging down the last of his tea, the gold in his pockets chinking merrily. **

"**See you all later!" he said. "You'll be up in the Top Box with me - I'm commentating!" He waved, Barty Crouch nodded curtly, and both of them Disapparated. **

"**What's happening at Hogwarts, Dad?" said Fred at once. "What were they talking about?" **

"**You'll find out soon enough," said Mr.Weasley, smiling. **

"**It's classified information, until such time as the Ministry decides to release it," said Percy stiffly. "Mr. Crouch was quite right not to disclose it." **

"**Oh shut up, Weatherby," said Fred. **

**A sense of excitement rose like a palpable cloud over the campsite as the afternoon wore on. By dusk, the still summer air itself seemed to be quivering with anticipation, and as darkness spread like a curtain over the thousands of waiting wizards, the last vestiges of pretence disappeared: the Ministry seemed to have bowed to the inevitable and stopped fighting the signs of blatant magic now breaking out everywhere. **

**Salesmen were Apparating every few feet, carrying trays and pushing carts full of extraordinary merchandise. **

James let out a great sigh of longing.

Harry thought for a moment, What had he done with the things he bought?

He shrugged and wished for them, passing everything but the Omnioculars to James, who grinned and thanked him.

**There were luminous rosettes - green for Ireland, red for Bulgaria - which were squealing the names of the players, pointed green hats bedecked with dancing shamrocks, Bulgarian scarves adorned with lions that really roared, flags from both countries that played their national anthems as they were waved; there were tiny models of Firebolts that really flew, and collectible figures of famous players, which strolled across the palm of your hand, preening themselves. **

"**Been saving my pocket money all summer for this," Ron told Harry as they and Hermione strolled through the salesmen, buying souvenirs. Though Ron purchased a dancing shamrock hat and a large green rosette, he also bought a small figure of Viktor Krum, the Bulgarian Seeker. The miniature Krum walked backward and forward over Ron's hand, scowling up at the green rosette above him. **

"**Wow, look at these!" said Harry, hurrying over to a cart piled high with what looked like brass binoculars, except that they were covered with all sorts of weird knobs and dials. **

"**Omnioculars," said the sales wizard eagerly. "You can replay action… slow everything down…and they flash up a play-by- play breakdown if you need it. Bargain - ten Galleons each." **

"**Wish I hadn't bought this now," said Ron, gesturing at his dancing shamrock hat and gazing longingly at the Omnioculars. **

"**Three pairs," said Harry firmly to the wizard. **

"**No - don't bother," said Ron, going red. He was always touchy about the fact that Harry, who had inherited a small fortune from his parents, had much more money than he did. **

"**You won't be getting anything for Christmas," Harry told him, thrusting Omnioculars into his and Hermione's hands. "For about ten years, mind." **

"**Fair enough," said Ron, grinning. **

"Thanks again, mate." Ron said.

Harry waved his hand in lazy reply, that had been three, maybe four years ago.

"**Oooh, thanks, Harry," said Hermione. "And I'll get us some programs, look -" **

**Their money bags considerably lighter, they went back to the tents. Bill, Charlie, and Ginny were all sporting green rosettes too, and Mr. Weasley was carrying an Irish flag. Fred and George had no souvenirs as they had given Bagman all their gold. **

**And then a deep, booming gong sounded somewhere beyond the woods, and at once, green and red lanterns blazed into life in the trees, lighting a path to the field. **

"**It's time!" said Mr. Weasley, looking as excited as any of them. "Come on, let's go!" **

James gave a great roar of excitement and went to snatch the book from Sirius but Lily beat him to it.

"Are you sure you can handle reading this?" She asked.

"Lily, _please _give me the book." He answered.

Lily asked again.

"I'll try."

Lily reluctantly let him take the book.


	9. The Quidditch World Cup

**CHAPTER EIGHT **

**THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP **

James gave an uncharacteristic squeak of excitement and Lily and Remus groaned.

**Clutching their purchases, Mr. Weasley in the lead,**

"No Harry! You need to get in the lead," Sirius shouted.

James gave him an intense glare worthy of McGonagall and Sirius shrank back in his seat.

Remus, Harry, Ron and Seth all snickered as James started to read again.

**they all hurried into the wood, following the lantern-lit trail. They could hear the sounds of thousands of people moving around them, shouts and laughter, snatches of **

James stopped reading abruptly and silenced Sirius.

The others gave him a questioning look and James read the last word of the sentence.

**singing. **

Remus laughed and nodded in understanding as Sirius looked increasingly angry.

Lily gave them a confused look, "What-?"

James cut here off, eager to keep reading, "We cursed Sirius a few weeks ago to start singing whenever someone mentioned it."

"Sirius is a _really _dreadful singer," Remus added.

**The atmosphere of feverish excitement was highly infectious; Harry couldn't stop grinning.**

Neither (it seemed) could James.

**They walked through the wood for twenty minutes, talking and joking loudly, until at last they emerged on the other side and found themselves in the shadow of a gigantic stadium. **

Sirius gave James a pleading look but he was too busy reading.

Sirius groaned, _Idiot. You have a wand!_

Laughing silently to himself, Sirius took the spell of and shouted.

Everyone covered their ears and glared at Sirius.

"Wait, how did you get un-silenced," James asked.

"Like I would tell you."

**Though Harry could see only a fraction of the immense gold walls surrounding the field, he could tell that ten cathedrals would fit comfortably inside it. **

"**Seats a hundred thousand,"**

"Wow."

**said Mr. Weasley, spotting the awestruck look on Harry's face. "Ministry task force of five hundred have been working on it all year. Muggle Repelling Charms on every inch of it. Every time Muggles have got anywhere near here all year, they've suddenly remembered urgent appointments and had to dash away again…bless them," he added fondly,**

James, Sirius, Ron and Harry snickered at Mr. Weasley's obsession with Muggles.

Lily laughed, "You're one to laugh, James Potter. You have just as much of an obsession with Quidditch as Arthur does with Muggles."

James stopped laughing and huffed, causing an increased snicker around the room.

**leading the way toward the nearest entrance, which was already surrounded by a swarm of shouting witches and wizards. **

"**Prime seats!" said the Ministry witch at the entrance when she checked their tickets. "Top Box! Straight upstairs, Arthur, and as high as you can go." **

"You are _so _lucky," James told Harry, Ron and Hermione.

**The stairs into the stadium were carpeted in rich purple. They clambered upward with the rest of the crowd, which slowly filtered away through doors into the stands to their left and right. Mr. Weasley's party kept climbing, and at last they reached the top of the staircase and found themselves in a small box, set at the highest point of the stadium and situated exactly halfway between the golden goal posts. **

James gaped at the book; you couldn't get in a much better spot.

**About twenty purple-and-gold chairs stood in two rows here, and Harry, filing into the front seats with the Weasleys, looked down upon a scene the likes of which he could never have imagined. **

**A hundred thousand witches and wizards were taking their places in the seats, which rose in levels around the long oval field. Everything was suffused with a mysterious golden light, which seemed to come from the stadium itself. The field looked smooth as velvet from their lofty position. At either end of the field stood three goal hoops, fifty feet high; right opposite them, almost at Harry's eye level, was a gigantic blackboard. Gold writing kept dashing across it as though an invisible giant's hand were scrawling upon the blackboard and then wiping it off again; watching it, Harry saw that it was flashing advertisements across the field. **

_**The Bluebottle: A Broom for All the Family - safe, reliable, and with Built-in Anti-Burglar Buzzer…Mrs. Shower's All Purpose Magical Mess Remover: No Pain, No Stain!…Gladrags Wizardwear - London, Paris, Hogsmeade… **_

**Harry tore his eyes away from the sign and looked over his shoulder to see who else was sharing the box with them. So far it was empty, except for a tiny creature **

"What?"

**sitting in the second from last seat at the end of the row behind them. The creature, whose legs were so short they stuck out in front of it on the chair, was wearing a tea towel draped like a toga, and it had its face hidden in its hands. Yet those long, batlike ears**

"Why is there a house-elf in the stands," Sirius asked.

Remus shrugged, "Maybe it's waiting for its master or something."

**were oddly familiar… **

"**Dobby?" said Harry incredulously. **

**The tiny creature looked up and stretched its fingers, revealing enormous brown eyes and a nose the exact size and shape of a large tomato. It wasn't Dobby – it was, however, unmistakably a house-elf, as Harry's friend Dobby had been. Harry had set Dobby free from his old owners, the Malfoy family. **

James and Sirius nodded their heads in approval.

"**Did sir just call me Dobby?" squeaked the elf curiously from between its fingers. Its voice was higher even than Dobby's had been, a teeny, quivering squeak of a voice, and Harry suspected though it was very hard to tell with a house-elf – that this one might just be female. Ron and Hermione spun around in their seats to look. Though they had heard a lot about Dobby from Harry, they had never actually met him. Even Mr. Weasley looked around in interest. **

"**Sorry," Harry told the elf, "I just thought you were someone I knew." **

"**But I knows Dobby too, sir!"**

"Really?"

"House-elves usually don't know other house-elves from a different home."

**squeaked the elf. She was shielding her face, as though blinded by light, though the Top Box was not brightly lit. "My name is Winky, sir - and you, sir -" Her dark brown eyes widened to the size of side plates as they rested upon Harry's scar. "You is surely Harry Potter!" **

"Yeah, yeah."

"**Yeah, I am," said Harry. **

"**But Dobby talks of you all the time, sir!" she said, lowering her hands very slightly and looking awestruck. **

"**How is he?" said Harry. "How's freedom suiting him?" **

"**Ah, sir," said Winky, shaking her head, "ah sir, meaning no disrespect, sir, but I is not sure you did Dobby a favor, sir, when you is setting him free." **

"Er-why," Sirius asked.

James looked thoroughly annoyed, "SHUT UP AND LET ME READ! I want to get to the part about the World Cup!"

"**Why?" said Harry, taken aback. "What's wrong with him?" **

"**Freedom is going to Dobby's head, sir," said Winky sadly. "Ideas above his station, sir. Can't get another position, sir." **

Sirius grinned and said, just to get on James nerves, "Why not?"

James glared at him, _"Expelliarmus! Silencio!"_

Sirius's wand soared out of his pocket and into James's hand. He pocketed it as Sirius grumbled silently.

"**Why not?" said Harry. **

**Winky lowered her voice by a half-octave and whispered, "He is wanting paying for his work, sir." **

"**Paying?" said Harry blankly. "Well - why shouldn't he be paid?" **

'Winky's not going to like that', Sirius wrote on a piece of parchment, holding it up so everyone could see.

**Winky looked quite horrified at the idea and closed her fingers slightly so that her face was half-hidden again. **

"**House-elves is not paid, sir!" she said in a muffled squeak. "No, no, no. I says to Dobby, I says, go find yourself a nice family and settle down, Dobby. He is getting up to all sorts of high jinks, sir, what is unbecoming to a house-elf. You goes racketing around like this, Dobby, I says, and next thing I hear you's up in front of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, like some common goblin." **

"**Well, it's about time he had a bit of fun," said Harry. **

'Here, here.'

"**House-elves is not supposed to have fun, Harry Potter,"**

'Just ask Kreacher, he's dreadfully boring and creepy.'

James cursed, looking falsely angry, "To bad we can't turn Sirius into Kreacher."

'Don't you even think about that', Sirius wrote angrily, silently vowing _never _to drink _anything _James gave him.

Remus laughed and Lily asked, "Who?"

"The Black family house-elf."

'Hideous thing'

**said Winky firmly, from behind her hands. "House-elves does what they is told. I is not liking heights at all, Harry Potter" - she glanced toward the edge of the box and gulped - "but my master sends me to the Top Box and I comes, sir." **

Hermione looked greatly disapproving and Lily cried, "That's Horrible!"

Ron groaned, "Make Harry's mum a SPEW badge Hermione."

"S-P-E-W Ronald," Hermione retorted.

"What _is _SPEW," James asked.

"Hermione's organization for elf rights."

Sirius looked thoughtful and then laughed. (silently, of course)

'We should start an organization for werewolf rights, eh Moony?'

Remus rolled his eyes, "Oh yeah, we would get _so _many members."

"**Why's he sent you up here, if he knows you don't like heights?" said Harry, frowning. **

"**Master - master wants me to save him a seat, Harry Potter. He is very busy," said Winky, tilting her head toward the empty space beside her. "Winky is wishing she is back in master's tent, Harry Potter, but Winky does what she is told. Winky is a good house-elf." **

**She gave the edge of the box another frightened look and hid her eyes completely again. Harry turned back to the others. **

"**So that's a house-elf?" Ron muttered. "Weird things, aren't they?"**

'You said you're going to Grimmauld Place sometime later, right?' Sirius wrote in front of Harry's face.

"Yeah."

'Then just wait until you meet Kreacher.'

"**Dobby was weirder," said Harry fervently. **

**Ron pulled out his Omnioculars and started testing them, staring down into the crowd on the other side of the stadium. **

"**Wild!" he said, twiddling the replay knob on the side. "I can make that old bloke down there pick his nose again…and again…and again…" **

James and Sirius snickered (the later silently) and Lily and Hermione looked a bit disgusted.

**Hermione, meanwhile, was skimming eagerly through her velvet covered, tasseled program. **

"'**A display from the team mascots will precede the match,'" she read aloud. **

"**Oh that's always worth watching," said Mr. Weasley. "National teams bring creatures from their native land, you know, to put on a bit of a show." **

**The box filled gradually around them over the next half hour. Mr. Weasley kept shaking hands with people who were obviously very important wizards. Percy jumped to his feet so often that he looked as though he were trying to sit on a hedgehog.**

They all snickered.

**When Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself, arrived, Percy bowed so low that his glasses fell off and shattered. Highly embarrassed, he repaired them with his wand and thereafter remained in his seat, throwing jealous looks at Harry, whom Cornelius Fudge had greeted like an old friend.**

James gave a great, "HA", of laughter.

'Oh, take that you pompous, rule abiding git!' Sirius wrote, grinning madly at Harry, who looked a bit afraid.

"Sirius stop scaring Harry," Lily demanded.

'I am NOT scaring him.' Sirius wrote, glancing at Harry, 'Maybe I am, sorry.'

Harry laughed and Sirius wrote, 'See? Not scared.'

A very annoyed James began to read again.

**They had met before, and Fudge shook Harry's hand in a fatherly**

James pouted for a moment before reading on.

**fashion, asked how he was, and introduced him to the wizards on either side of him. **

"**Harry Potter, you know," he told the Bulgarian minister loudly, who was wearing splendid robes of black velvet trimmed with gold and didn't seem to understand a word of English. "Harry Potter…oh come on now, you know who he is…the boy who survived You-Know-Who…you do know who he is -" **

**The Bulgarian wizard suddenly spotted Harry's scar and started gabbling loudly and excitedly, pointing at it. **

"**Knew we'd get there in the end," said Fudge wearily to Harry. "I'm no great shakes at languages; I need Barty Crouch for this sort of thing. Ah, I see his house-elf's saving him a seat…**

"Winky is _Barty Crouch's _house-elf," James asked as Sirius scribbled down Crouch on his list for scaring a house-elf.

**Good job too, these Bulgarian blighters have been trying to cadge all the best places…ah, and here's Lucius!" **

'Slimy Slytherian, Death Eater git.' Sirius wrote, 'Can I be un-silenced now?'

James handed Remus the book and took Sirius's wand out of his pocket, waving it in the air he said, "What's the magic word?"

Sirius looked thoughtful, 'Now.'

Chuckling, James shook his head, "Try again, I'll give you two more guesses."

'Avada Kadavra?'

James looked slightly affronted but knew Sirius was kidding and shook his head.

'Or else.'

"Or else what?"

'If you don't give me my wand in five seconds you'll find out.'

Remus leaned towards Harry and muttered something. Lily leaned in as well and said something before nodding too.

'1'

James turned his head to the side curiously.

'2'

He yawned.

'3'

James leaned back into the couch and gave Sirius a daring look.

'4'

James pocketed Sirius's wand.

'5'

Sirius turned into his animagus and the black dog launched itself at James, teeth bared and barking.

James yelled out and Harry and Lily both gave Remus 5 galleons, which he pocketed.

After about a five minute struggle between the messy haired teenager and the huge, jet-black dog, Sirius leapt away from James, wand in his mouth.

With three waves of his wand Sirius returned his voice, took James's wand and caused antlers to sprout from James's head.

Lily and Harry gave Remus 3 more galleons.

Sirius laughed, "Were making Moony rich mate."

"You bet on us?" James asked, trying, and failing, to look disapproving.

"5 that Sirius would attack you as a dog, 3 that he would get his wand and hex you," Remus said, nodding and grinning.

"Get rid off theses damn antlers Sirius," James growled, "and give me back my wand!"

Sirius was to busy laughing with the others to hear anything. (though Lily still managed to hit James with a stinging hex for cursing)

James growled again and snatched his wand back. He waved it and got rid of the antlers

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned quickly. Edging along the second row to three still-empty seats right behind Mr. Weasley were none other than Dobby the house-elf's former owners: Lucius Malfoy; his son, Draco; and a woman Harry supposed must be Draco's mother.**

"If she has a look on her face like she smells something unpleasant then that's defiantly Narcissa," Sirius said.

"Well Draco's there, isn't he?" James asked.

Harry gaped at him in shock.

"You said almost the same thing didn't you?"

Harry nodded.

**Harry and Draco Malfoy had been enemies ever since their very first journey to Hogwarts. **

"Naturally," Sirius muttered, waving his hand.

"Generations of Potters and Malfoys have disagreed," James said.

**A pale boy with a pointed face and white-blond hair, Draco greatly resembled his father. His mother was blonde too; tall and slim, she would have been nice-looking if she hadn't been wearing a look that suggested there was a nasty smell under her nose. **

"Told you."

"**Ah, Fudge," said Mr. Malfoy, holding out his hand as he reached the Minister of Magic. "How are you? I don't think you've met my wife, Narcissa? Or our son, Draco?" **

"He probably hasn't wanted to."

"**How do you do, how do you do?" said Fudge, smiling and bowing to Mrs. Malfoy. "And allow me to introduce you to Mr. Oblansk - Obalonsk - Mr. - well, he's the Bulgarian Minister of Magic, and he can't understand a word I'm saying anyway, so never mind. And let's see who else - you know Arthur Weasley, I daresay?" **

"Don't you dare say a word against them Malfoy," Sirius growled, looking for his list.

**It was a tense moment. Mr. Weasley and Mr. Malfoy looked at each other and Harry vividly recalled the last time they had come face-to-face: It had been in Flourish and Blotts' bookshop, and they had had a fight. **

Ron, Harry, James and Sirius all grinned and laughed and the others couldn't help but smile.

**Mr. Malfoy's cold gray eyes swept over Mr. Weasley, and then up and down the row. **

"**Good lord, Arthur," he said softly. "What did you have to sell to get seats in the Top Box? **

James, Sirius, Lily and Remus all looked outraged.

**Surely your house wouldn't have fetched this much?"**

James let out a long string of swear words and Lily didn't bother to do anything, she looked like she was repressing her own _choice words _for Lucius Malfoy.

"Neither would yours with all its Dark objects in it!" Sirius shouted at the book, scribbling on the list.

**Fudge, who wasn't listening, said, "Lucius has just given a very generous contribution to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, Arthur. He's here as my guest." **

"**How - how nice," said Mr. Weasley, with a very strained smile. **

**Mr. Malfoy's eyes had returned to Hermione, who went slightly pink, but stared determinedly back at him.**

"Good on you Hermione," James said, giving a small nod towards her.

She smiled slightly and James kept reading.

**Harry knew exactly what was making Mr. Malfoy's lip curl like that. The Malfoys prided themselves on being purebloods; in other words, they considered anyone of Muggle descent, like Hermione, second-class. However, under the gaze of the Minister of Magic, Mr. Malfoy didn't dare say anything. He nodded sneeringly to Mr. Weasley and continued down the line to his seats. Draco shot Harry, Ron, and Hermione one contemptuous look, then settled himself between his mother and father. **

"**Slimy gits," **

Sirius stared at the book in shock, he had said that earlier.

**Ron muttered as he, Harry, and Hermione turned to face the field again. Next moment, Ludo Bagman charged into the box. **

"**Everyone ready?" he said, his round face gleaming like a great, excited Edam. "Minister - ready to go?" **

"**Ready when you are, Ludo," said Fudge comfortably. **

**Ludo whipped out his wand, directed it at his own throat, and said "**_**Sonorus!**_**" and then spoke over the roar of sound that was now filling the packed stadium; his voice echoed over them, booming into every corner of the stands. **

"**Ladies and gentlemen…welcome! Welcome to the final of the four hundred and twenty-second Quidditch World Cup!" **

They all cheered, James (who had forgotten about the cup momentarily in his rage at Lucius Malfoy) most of all.

**The spectators screamed and clapped. Thousands of flags waved, adding their discordant national anthems to the racket. The huge blackboard opposite them was wiped clear of its last message (Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans - A Risk With Every Mouthful!)**

"No kidding."

**and now showed BULGARIA: 0, IRELAND: 0. **

"**And now, without further ado, allow me to introduce…the Bulgarian National Team Mascots!"**

"Wonder what they brought," Remus said.

James gave him a 'let me read'look.

"Don't give me that look, Prongs. I _invented _that look."

James huffed and started reading.

**The right-hand side of the stands, which was a solid block of scarlet, roared its approval.**

"**I wonder what they've brought," said Mr. Weasley, leaning forward in his seat. "Aaah!" He suddenly whipped off his glasses and polished them hurriedly on his robes. "Veela!" **

"What are veela," Lily asked curiously.

All the guys in the room blushed slightly and James quickly began reading.

"**What are veel -?" **

**But a hundred veela were now gliding out onto the field, and Harry's question was answered for him. Veela were women…the most beautiful women Harry had ever seen…except that they weren't - they couldn't be - human. This puzzled Harry for a moment while he tried to guess what exactly they could be; what could make their skin shine moon-bright like that, or their white-gold hair fan out behind them without wind…but then the music started, and Harry stopped worrying about them not being human - in fact, he stopped worrying about anything at all. **

**The veela had started to dance, and Harry's mind had gone completely and blissfully blank. All that mattered in the world was that he kept watching the veela, because if they stopped dancing, terrible things would happen. **

**And as the veela danced faster and faster, wild, half-formed thoughts started chasing through Harry's dazed mind. He wanted to do something very impressive, right now. Jumping from the box into the stadium seemed a good idea**

Lily stared at the book in slight shock then turned to Harry, "Have you gone mad?"

Harry didn't know how to respond to this but Remus saved him, "It's not Harry's fault Lily, veela have that effect on men."

…**but would it be good enough? **

Lily huffed angrily.

"**Harry, what are you doing?" said Hermione's voice from a long way off. **

**The music stopped. Harry blinked. He was standing up, and one of his legs was resting on the wall of the box.**

Lily put her head in her hands and let out a long sigh.

**Next to him, Ron was frozen in an attitude that looked as though he were about to dive from a springboard. **

**Angry yells were filling the stadium. The crowd didn't want the veela to go. Harry was with them; **

Harry blushed slightly and looked sheepish at the look his mother gave him.

**he would, of course, be supporting Bulgaria, and he wondered vaguely why he had a large green shamrock pinned to his chest. Ron, meanwhile, was absentmindedly shredding the shamrocks on his hat. Mr. Weasley, smiling slightly, leaned over to Ron and tugged the hat out of his hands. **

"**You'll be wanting that," he said, "once Ireland have had their say." **

"**Huh?" said Ron, staring openmouthed at the veela, who had now lined up along one side of the field. **

**Hermione made a loud tutting noise. She reached up and pulled Harry back into his seat. "Honestly!" she said. **

Lily nodded slightly and also tutted.

"**And now," roared Ludo Bagman's voice, "kindly put your wands in the air…for the Irish National Team Mascots!" **

**Next moment, what seemed to be a great green-and-gold comet came zooming into the stadium. It did one circuit of the stadium, then split into two smaller comets, each hurtling toward the goal posts.**

**A rainbow arced suddenly across the field, connecting the two balls of light. The crowd oooohed and aaaaahed, as though at a fireworks display. Now the rainbow faded and the balls of light reunited and merged; they had formed a great shimmering shamrock, which rose up into the sky and began to soar over the stands. Something like golden rain seemed to be falling from it – **

"**Excellent!" yelled Ron as the shamrock soared over them, and heavy gold coins rained from it, bouncing off their heads and seats. Squinting up at the shamrock, Harry realized that it was actually comprised of thousands of tiny little bearded men with red vests, each carrying a minute lamp of gold or green.**

"Leprechauns!"

James snickered slightly, "Won't Ron be pleased when all that gold disappears?"

"Huh?" Sirius asked.

"Leprechaun gold vanishes after a while."

Sirius snickered as well and jotted something down on his Prank List that looked like, 'Make people's things disappear'

Ron huffed and James returned to the book.

"**Leprechauns!" said Mr. Weasley over the tumultuous applause of the crowd, many of whom were still fighting and rummaging around under their chairs to retrieve the gold. **

Sirius and James snickered again and Lily and Remus shook their heads, looking both amused and disapproving.

"**There you go," Ron yelled happily, stuffing a fistful of gold coins into Harry's hand, "for the Omnioculars! Now you've got to buy me a Christmas present, ha!" **

**The great shamrock dissolved, the leprechauns drifted down onto the field on the opposite side from the veela, and settled themselves cross-legged to watch the match. **

"**And now, ladies and gentlemen, kindly welcome - the Bulgarian National Quidditch Team! I give you - Dimitrov!" **

**A scarlet-clad figure on a broomstick, moving so fast it was blurred, shot out onto the field from an entrance far below, to wild applause from the Bulgarian supporters. **

"**Ivanova!" **

**A second scarlet-robed player zoomed out. **

"**Zograf! Levski! Vulchanov! Volkov! Aaaaaaand - Krum!" **

"**That's him, that's him!" yelled Ron,**

Ron looked angry with his past (or was it future?) self.

**following Krum with his Omnioculars. Harry quickly focused his own. **

**Viktor Krum was thin, dark, and sallow-skinned, with a large curved nose and thick black eyebrows. He looked like an overgrown bird of prey.**

"Lovely," Lily muttered.

"Ah-but no where near as lovely as me, right Lily-Flower," Sirius said.

Lily snorted as James shouted something about he being the only one to call Lily that.

**It was hard to believe he was only eighteen. **

"**And now, please greet - the Irish National Quidditch Team!" yelled Bagman. "Presenting - Connolly! Ryan! Troy! Mullet! Moran! Quigley! Aaaaaand - Lynch!" **

**Seven green blurs swept onto the field; Harry spun a small dial on the side of his Omnioculars and slowed the players down enough to read the word **_**Firebolt **_**on each of their brooms **

Sirius smirked triumphantly; he had bought his godson a professional's broom.

**and see their names, embroidered in silver, upon their backs. **

"**And here, all the way from Egypt, our referee, acclaimed Chairwizard of the International Association of Quidditch, Hassan Mostafa!" **

**A small and skinny wizard, completely bald but with a mustache to rival Uncle Vernon's, **

"Merlin."

**wearing robes of pure gold to match the stadium, strode out onto the field. A silver whistle was protruding from under the mustache, and he was carrying a large wooden crate under one arm, his broomstick under the other. **

**Harry spun the speed dial on his Omnioculars back to normal, watching closely as Mostafa mounted his broomstick and kicked the crate open - four balls burst into the air: the scarlet Quaffle, the two black Bludgers, and (Harry saw it for the briefest moment, before it sped out of sight) the minuscule, winged Golden Snitch. With a sharp blast on his whistle, Mostafa shot into the air after the balls. **

"**Theeeeeeeey're OFF!" screamed Bagman. "And it's Mullet! Troy! Moran! Dimitrov! Back to Mullet! Troy! Levski! Moran!" **

James had changed his voice to that of an announcer's and had even magnified his voice.

**It was Quidditch as Harry had never seen it played before. He was pressing his Omnioculars so hard to his glasses that they were cutting into the bridge of his nose. The speed of the players was incredible - the Chasers were throwing the Quaffle to one another so fast that Bagman only had time to say their names. **

**Harry spun the slow dial on the right of his Omnioculars again, pressed the play by- play button on the top, and he was immediately watching in slow motion, while glittering purple lettering flashed across the lenses and the noise of the crowd pounded against his eardrums. **

**HAWKSHEAD ATTACKING FORMATION, he read as he watched the three Irish Chasers zoom closely together, Troy in the center, slightly ahead of Mullet and Moran, bearing down upon the Bulgarians. PORSKOFF PLOY flashed up next, as Troy made as though to dart upward with the Quaffle, drawing away the Bulgarian Chaser Ivanova and dropping the Quaffle to Moran. One of the Bulgarian Beaters, Volkov, swung hard at a passing Bludger with his small club, knocking it into Moran's path; Moran ducked to avoid the Bludger and dropped the Quaffle; and Levski, soaring beneath, caught it – **

"**TROY SCORES!" roared Bagman, and the stadium shuddered with a roar of applause and cheers. "Ten zero to Ireland!" **

"But I thought Levski had the Quaffle?"

"**What?" Harry yelled, looking wildly around through his Omnioculars. "But Levski's got the Quaffle!" **

"**Harry, if you're not going to watch at normal speed, you're going to miss things!" **

"Oh."

**shouted Hermione, who was dancing up and down, waving her arms in the air while Troy did a lap of honor around the field. Harry looked quickly over the top of his Omnioculars and saw that the leprechauns **

**watching from the sidelines had all risen into the air again and formed the great, glittering shamrock. Across the field, the veela were watching them sulkily. **

Lily couldn't help but let a small snicker escape her mouth.

**Furious with himself, Harry spun his speed dial back to normal as play resumed. **

**Harry knew enough about Quidditch to see that the Irish Chasers were superb. They worked as a seamless team, their movements so well coordinated that they appeared to be reading one another's minds as they positioned themselves,**

"That's Pro Quidditch for you, Son." James said.

**and the rosette on Harry's chest kept squeaking their names: "Troy - Mullet - Moran!" And within ten minutes, Ireland had scored twice more, bringing their lead to thirty-zero and causing a thunderous tide of roars and applause from the greenclad supporters. **

**The match became still faster, but more brutal. Volkov and Vulchanov, the Bulgarian Beaters, were whacking the Bludgers as fiercely as possible at the Irish Chasers, and were starting to prevent them from using some of their best moves; twice they were forced to scatter, and then, finally, Ivanova managed to break through their ranks; dodge the Keeper, Ryan; and score Bulgaria's first goal. **

"**Fingers in your ears!" bellowed Mr. Weasley as the veela started to dance in celebration. Harry screwed up his eyes too; he wanted to keep his mind on the game. After a few seconds, he chanced a glance at the field. The veela had stopped dancing, and Bulgaria was again in possession of the Quaffle. **

"**Dimitrov! Levski! Dimitrov! Ivanova - oh I say!"**

"What happened?" Sirius asked, leaning towards James and trying to look over his shoulder.

"If you would let him read, we'd know already." Remus told him.

James gave him a grateful look as Sirius huffed.

**roared Bagman. One hundred thousand wizards gasped as the two Seekers, Krum and Lynch, plummeted through the center of the Chasers, so fast that it looked as though they had just jumped from airplanes without parachutes. Harry followed their descent through his Omnioculars, squinting to see where the Snitch was – **

"**They're going to crash!" screamed Hermione next to Harry. **

**She was half right - at the very last second, Viktor Krum pulled out of the dive and spiraled off. Lynch, however, hit the ground with a dull thud that could be heard throughout the stadium**

Around the room there was a shared wince.

**A huge groan rose from the Irish seats. **

"**Fool!" moaned Mr. Weasley. "Krum was feinting!" **

"**It's time-out!" yelled Bagman's voice, "as trained mediwizards hurry onto the field to examine Aidan Lynch!" **

"**He'll be okay, he only got ploughed!" Charlie said reassuringly to Ginny, who was hanging over the side of the box, looking horror-struck. "Which is what Krum was after, of course…" **

**Harry hastily pressed the replay and play-by-play buttons on his Omnioculars, twiddled the speed dial, and put them back up to his eyes. He watched as Krum and Lynch dived again in slow motion. WRONSKI DEFENSIVE FEINT - DANGEROUS SEEKER DIVERSION read the shining purple lettering across his lenses. He saw Krum's face contorted with concentration as he pulled out of the dive just in time, while Lynch was flattened, and he understood - Krum hadn't seen the Snitch at all, he was just making Lynch copy him. **

"That _is _the point of a Wronski Feint," James said.

**Harry had never seen anyone fly like that; Krum hardly looked as though he was using a broomstick at all; he moved so easily through the air that he looked unsupported and weightless. **

**Harry turned his Omnioculars back to normal and focused them on Krum. He was now circling high above Lynch, who was being revived by mediwizards with cups of potion. Harry, focusing still more closely upon Krum's face, saw his dark eyes darting all over the ground a hundred feet below. He was using the time while Lynch was revived to look for the Snitch without interference. **

**Lynch got to his feet at last, to loud cheers from the green-clad supporters, mounted his Firebolt,**

Sirius and James both grinned broadly.

**and kicked back off into the air. His revival seemed to give Ireland new heart. When Mostafa blew his whistle again, the Chasers moved into action with a skill unrivaled by anything Harry had seen so far. **

**After fifteen more fast and furious minutes, Ireland had pulled ahead by ten more goals. They were now leading by one hundred and thirty points to ten, and the game was starting to get dirtier. **

"It always does in Quidditch."

**As Mullet shot toward the goal posts yet again, clutching the Quaffle tightly under her arm, the Bulgarian Keeper, Zograf, flew out to meet her. Whatever happened was over so quickly Harry didn't catch it, but a scream of rage from the Irish crowd, and Mostafa's long, shrill whistle blast, told him it had been a foul. **

"**And Mostafa takes the Bulgarian Keeper to task for cobbing — excessive use of elbows!" Bagman informed the roaring spectators. "And - yes, it's a penalty to Ireland!" **

"Ha!" Sirius exclaimed.

**The leprechauns, who had risen angrily into the air like a swarm of glittering hornets when Mullet had been fouled, now darted together to form the words "HA, HA, HA!"**

James laughed, "Sirius would make an excellent Leprechaun."

"'Course, besides the fact that he's tall and has black hair and is _not _Irish," Remus said.

**The veela on the other side of the field leapt to their feet, tossed their hair angrily, and started to dance again. **

**As one, the Weasley boys and Harry stuffed their fingers into their ears, but Hermione, who hadn't bothered,**

"She doesn't need to."

**was soon tugging on Harry's arm. He turned to look at her, and she pulled his fingers impatiently out of his ears. **

"**Look at the referee!" she said, giggling. **

**Harry looked down at the field. Hassan Mostafa had landed right in front of the dancing veela, and was acting very oddly indeed. He was flexing his muscles and smoothing his mustache excitedly. **

Lily and Hermione both shook their heads and tutted as the others laughed.

"**Now, we can't have that!" said Ludo Bagman, though he sounded highly amused. **

"_He would be."_ Seth said, talking for the first time in a while and startling Harry slightly.

"**Somebody slap the referee!" **

**A mediwizard came tearing across the field, his fingers stuffed into his own ears, and kicked Mostafa hard in the shins.**

"Ow."

**Mostafa seemed to come to himself; Harry, watching through the Omnioculars again, saw that he looked exceptionally embarrassed and had started shouting at the veela, who had stopped dancing and were looking mutinous. **

Sirius Ha-ed again and James noticed the upcoming, 'HEE, HEE, HEE' and laughed.

"**And unless I'm much mistaken, Mostafa is actually attempting to send off the Bulgarian team mascots!" said Bagman's voice. "Now there's something we haven't seen before…Oh this could turn nasty…" **

**It did: The Bulgarian Beaters, Volkov and Vulchanov, landed on either side of Mostafa and began arguing furiously with him, gesticulating toward the leprechauns, who had now gleefully formed the words "HEE, HEE, HEE." Mostafa was not impressed by the Bulgarians' arguments, however; he was jabbing his finger into the air, clearly telling them to get flying again, and when they refused, he gave two short blasts on his whistle. **

"**Two penalties for Ireland!" **

"Ha! Take that!" said **A/N well if you can't guess you might have a problem **Sirius.

**shouted Bagman, and the Bulgarian crowd howled with anger. "And Volkov and Vulchanov had better get back on those brooms…yes…there they go…and Troy takes the Quaffle." **

**Play now reached a level of ferocity beyond anything they had yet seen. The Beaters on both sides were acting without mercy: Volkov and Vulchanov in particular seemed not to care whether their clubs made contact with Bludger or human as they swung them violently through the air. Dimitrov shot straight at Moran, who had the Quaffle, nearly knocking her off her broom. **

"**Foul!" roared the Irish supporters as one, all standing up in a great wave of green. "Foul!" echoed Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice. "Dimitrov skins Moran - deliberately flying to collide there - and it's got to be another penalty - yes, there's the whistle!" **

**The leprechauns had risen into the air again, and this time, they formed a giant hand, which was making a very rude sign indeed at the veela across the field. At this, the veela lost control. Instead of dancing, they launched themselves across the field and began throwing what seemed to be handfuls of fire at the leprechauns. Watching through his Omnioculars, Harry saw that they didn't look remotely beautiful now. **

Lily looked smug.

**On the contrary, their faces were elongating into sharp, cruelbeaked bird heads, and long, scaly wings were bursting from their shoulders - **

"**And that, boys," yelled Mr. Weasley over the tumult of the crowd below, "is why you should never go for looks alone!" **

**Ministry wizards were flooding onto the field to separate the veela and the leprechauns, but with little success; meanwhile, the pitched battle below was nothing to the one taking place above. Harry turned this way and that, staring through his Omnioculars, as the Quaffle changed hands with the speed of a bullet. **

"**Levski - Dimitrov - Moran - Troy - Mullet - Ivanova - Moran again - Moran - MORAN SCORES!" **

**But the cheers of the Irish supporters were barely heard over the shrieks of the veela, the blasts now issuing from the Ministry members' wands, and the furious roars of the Bulgarians. The game recommenced immediately; now Levski had the Quaffle, now Dimitrov - The Irish Beater Quigley swung heavily at a passing Bludger, and hit it as hard as possible toward Krum, who did not duck quickly enough. It hit him full in the face. **

"Ouch."

**There was a deafening groan from the crowd; Krum's nose looked broken, there was blood everywhere, but Hassan Mostafa didn't blow his whistle. He had become distracted, and Harry couldn't blame him; one of the veela had thrown a handful of fire and set his broom tail alight. **

Laughing, Sirius added this to his list of prank ideas.

**Harry wanted someone to realize that Krum was injured; even though he was supporting Ireland, Krum was the most exciting player on the field. Ron obviously felt the same. **

"**Time-out! Ah, come on, he can't play like that, look at him -" **

"**Look at Lynch!" Harry yelled. **

**For the Irish Seeker had suddenly gone into a dive, and Harry was quite sure that this was no Wronski Feint; this was the real thing… **

"**He's seen the Snitch!" Harry shouted. "He's seen it! Look at him go!" Half the crowd seemed to have realized what was happening; the Irish supporters rose in another great wave of green, screaming their Seeker on…but Krum was on his tail. How he could see where he was going, Harry had no idea; there were flecks of blood flying through the air behind him, but he was drawing level with Lynch now as the pair of them hurtled toward the ground again - **

"**They're going to crash!" shrieked Hermione. **

"**They're not!" roared Ron. **

"**Lynch is!" yelled Harry. **

**And he was right - for the second time, Lynch hit the ground with tremendous force and was immediately stampeded by a horde of angry veela. **

"**The Snitch, where's the Snitch?" bellowed Charlie, along the row. **

"**He's got it - Krum's got it - it's all over!" shouted Harry. **

**Krum, his red robes shining with blood from his nose, was rising gently into the air, his fist held high, a glint of gold in his hand. **

**The scoreboard was flashing BULGARIA: 160, IRELAND: 170 **

"YES! YES!" Sirius shouted, dancing in front of James and holding his hand out, "Give me my money!"

James growled and gave Sirius the galleons.

**across the crowd, who didn't seem to have realized what had happened. Then, slowly, as though a great jumbo jet were revving up, the rumbling from the Ireland supporters grew louder and louder and erupted into screams of delight. **

"**IRELAND WINS!" Bagman shouted, who like the Irish, seemed to be taken aback by the sudden end of the match. **

"**KRUM GETS THE SNITCH - BUT IRELAND WINS — good lord, I don't think any of us were expecting that!" **

"**What did he catch the Snitch for?" Ron bellowed, even as he jumped up and down, applauding with his hands over his head. "He ended it when Ireland were a hundred and sixty points ahead, the idiot!" **

"**He knew they were never going to catch up!" Harry shouted back over all the noise, also applauding loudly. "The Irish Chasers were too good…He wanted to end it on his terms, that's all…" **

"**He was very brave, wasn't he?" Hermione said, leaning forward to watch Krum land as a swarm of mediwizards blasted a path through the battling leprechauns and veela to get to him. "He looks a terrible mess…" **

**Harry put his Omnioculars to his eyes again. It was hard to see what was happening below, because leprechauns were zooming delightedly all over the field,**

"You know Prongs, I think you're right. Sirius _could_ be a Leprechaun."

**but he could just make out Krum, surrounded by mediwizards. He looked surlier than ever and refused to let them mop him up. His team members were around him, shaking their heads and looking dejected; a short way away, the Irish players were dancing gleefully in a shower of gold descending from their mascots. **

**Flags were waving all over the stadium, the Irish national anthem blared from all sides; the veela were shrinking back into their usual, beautiful selves now, though looking dispirited and forlorn. **

"**Vell, ve fought bravely," said a gloomy voice behind Harry. He looked around; it was the Bulgarian Minister of Magic. **

"I thought he couldn't speak English!" James shouted, laughing.

Sirius had a mischievous glint in his eyes as he wrote, 'Pretend to drink a potion that causes you to lose your capability to speak English.'

"**You can speak English!" said Fudge, sounding outraged. "And you've been letting me mime everything all day!" **

"**Veil, it vos very funny," said the Bulgarian minister, shrugging. **

"**And as the Irish team performs a lap of honor, flanked by their mascots, the Quidditch World Cup itself is brought into the Top Box!" roared Bagman. **

**Harry's eyes were suddenly dazzled by a blinding white light, as the Top Box was magically illuminated so that everyone in the stands could see the inside. Squinting toward the entrance, he saw two panting wizards carrying a vast golden cup into the box, which they handed to Cornelius Fudge, who was still looking very disgruntled that he'd been using sign language all day for nothing. **

"**Let's have a really loud hand for the gallant losers - Bulgaria!" Bagman shouted. **

**And up the stairs into the box came the seven defeated Bulgarian players. The crowd below was applauding appreciatively; Harry could see thousands and thousands of Omniocular lenses flashing and winking in their direction. **

**One by one, the Bulgarians filed between the rows of seats in the box, and Bagman called out the name of each as they shook hands with their own minister and then with Fudge. Krum, who was last in line, looked a real mess. Two black eyes were blooming spectacularly on his bloody face. He was still holding the Snitch. Harry noticed that he seemed much less coordinated on the ground. He was slightly duck-footed and distinctly round-shouldered. But when Krum's name was announced, the whole stadium gave him a resounding, earsplitting roar. **

**And then came the Irish team. Aidan Lynch was being supported by Moran and Connolly; the second crash seemed to have dazed him and his eyes looked strangely unfocused. But he grinned happily as Troy and Quigley lifted the Cup into the air and the crowd below thundered its approval. Harry's hands were numb with clapping. **

Roughly the same symptoms had plagued the occupants of the Room of Requirement.

**At last, when the Irish team had left the box to perform another lap of honor on their brooms (Aidan Lynch on the back of Confolly's, clutching hard around his waist and still grinning in a bemused sort of way), Bagman pointed his wand at his throat and muttered, "**_**Quietus**_**." **

"**They'll be talking about this one for years," he said hoarsely, "a really unexpected twist, that…shame it couldn't have lasted longer…Ah yes…yes, I owe you…how much?" **

**For Fred and George had just scrambled over the backs of their seats and were standing in front of Ludo Bagman with broad grins on their faces, their hands outstretched. **

"Here," James muttered handing the book to Lily.

**Author's Note: Sorry! I am SO sorry about the unusually long wait but school has caught up with me. I actuall had this done a few days ago but I was really tired and I forgot to post it. / Anyway, it was pretty long, 7,736 words before I added this note. As always, PLEASE, PLEASE Review!**


	10. The Dark Mark

**A/N OK give me a second...I'm in pain. OK, better now. Sorry, my asleep leg decided to wake up. **

**Disclaimer: **

**14hp1: Sirius, do we own Harry Potter?**

**Sirius: Er-No?**

**14hp1: Good doggy, here's a treat!**

**Sirius: Yay!**

_Chapter...10...I think: The Dark Mark/I'm back! Drat! Now Aerosmith is stuck in my head. _

**CHAPTER NINE **

Lily gasped in surprise at reading the next few words and dropped the book in shock.

Everyone in the room besides Hermione (who realized what was coming) gave Lily a startled expression.

James picked the book up for her and his eyes widened when he opened it to the correct page.

He handed it back to Lily, swallowed, and motioned her to read while hugging her.

**THE DARK MARK **

There were more gasps around the room.

"The Dark Mark is Voldemort's sign, right?", Lily said worriedly, hoping someone would tell her she was wrong. She didn't think she was because James was still holding her tight, giving worried looks to Harry, Ron and Hermione

James nodded, looking pale, "And it's only put up if someone has been killed."

"Maybe Harry saw it on a Death Eater's arm or something," Sirius said, trying to see a way around James' words.

"It's possible." James said, still looking scared and worried.

Harry smiled slightly; it was nice to have James, Lily and Sirius worrying about him but it only caused them to look even more shocked.

"**Don't tell your mother you've been gambling," Mr. Weasley implored Fred and George as they all made their way slowly down the purple-carpeted stairs. **

"**Don't worry, Dad," said Fred gleefully, "we've got big plans for this money. We don't want it confiscated." **

**Mr. Weasley looked for a moment as though he was going to ask what these big plans were, but seemed to decide, upon reflection, that he didn't want to know.**

"Probably best," Remus said.

"I'm guessing you know from experience?" Lily asked.

"Of course," Remus answered gesturing to James and Sirius, who grinned.

**They were soon caught up in the crowds now flooding out of the stadium and back to their campsites. Raucous**

James was still holding Lily and he read over her shoulder, casting a silencing charm on Sirius.

**singing **

Sirius' mouth opened and a silent song tumbled out unwillingly. When he was done he un-silenced himself and gave a somewhat grateful look at James, thanking him for sparing him the embarrassment, who smiled in return.

**was borne toward them on the night air as they retraced their steps along the lantern-lit path, and leprechauns kept shooting over their heads, cackling and waving their lanterns. When they finally reached the tents, nobody felt like sleeping at all, and given the level of noise around them, Mr. Weasley agreed that they could all have one last cup of cocoa together before turning in. **

Sirius wished up some for all of them.

**They were soon arguing enjoyably about the match; Mr. Weasley got drawn into a disagreement about cobbing with Charlie, and it was only when Ginny fell asleep right at the tiny table and spilled hot chocolate **

"Oops."

**all over the floor that Mr. Weasley called a halt to the verbal replays and insisted that everyone go to bed. Hermione and Ginny went into the next tent, and Harry and the rest of the Weasleys changed into pajamas and clambered into their bunks. From the other side of the campsite they could still hear much**

Sirius was silenced again.

**singing and the odd echoing bang. **

Sirius, again, un-silenced himself and looked curious.

"**Oh I am glad I'm not on duty," muttered Mr. Weasley sleepily. "I wouldn't fancy having to go and tell the Irish they've got to stop celebrating." **

**Harry, who was on a top bunk above Ron, lay staring up at the canvas ceiling of the tent, watching the glow of an occasional leprechaun lantern flying overhead, and picturing again some of Krum's more spectacular moves. He was itching to get back on his own Firebolt and try out the Wronski Feint…**

Lily looked like she wanted to protest, not wanting her son to have a broken nose, but James stole the book from her and kept reading.

**Somehow Oliver Wood had never managed to convey with all his wriggling diagrams what that move was supposed to look like…**

"He better not, either," Lil said sternly, grabbing the book back and glaring at James. He smiled and hugged her again.

**Harry saw himself in robes that had his name on the back, and imagined the sensation of hearing a hundred-thousand-strong crowd roar, as Ludo Bagman's voice echoed throughout the stadium, "I give you…Potter!" **

**Harry never knew whether or not he had actually dropped off to sleep – his fantasies of flying like Krum might well have slipped into actual dreams - all he knew was that, quite suddenly, Mr. Weasley was shouting. **

"**Get up! Ron - Harry - come on now, get up, this is urgent!" **

Lily stopped reading for a moment and they all exchanged worried glances. Ron and Harry suddenly had a look of realization on their face and Hermione muttered something the sounded a lot like, "It's about time."

**Harry sat up quickly and the top of his head hit canvas.**

James, Sirius and Seth couldn't repress a small snicker.

"**S' matter?" he said. **

Remus muttered something about, "James also having a slow brain in the morning" and "uncannily like his father."

James frowned at the first part but then smiled about having a son that was so much like him. Harry beamed in return.

**Dimly, he could tell that something was wrong. **

"Maybe it's not as slow as Prongs'." Remus said, at least Harry had _some _idea of what was going on.

James huffed.

**The noises in the campsite had changed. The singing had stopped. He could hear screams, and the sound of people running. He slipped down from the bunk and reached for his clothes, but Mr. Weasley, who had pulled on his jeans over his own pajamas, said, "No time, Harry - just grab a jacket and get outside - quickly!" **

**Harry did as he was told and hurried out of the tent, Ron at his heels. **

Lily's voice was getting shaky as she read.

**By the light of the few fires that were still burning, he could see people running away into the woods, fleeing something that was moving across the field toward them, something that was emitting odd flashes of light and noises like gunfire.**

**Loud jeering, roars of laughter, **

"Laughter?" Sirius asked.

**and drunken yells were drifting toward them; then came a burst of strong green light,**

They all exchanged worried glances; Avada Kadavra was green.

**which illuminated the scene. A crowd of wizards, tightly packed and moving together with wands pointing straight upward, was marching slowly across the field. Harry squinted at them…They didn't seem to have faces…Then he realized that their heads were hooded and their faces masked. **

"Death Eaters," Sirius growled, snarling.

James patted him on the back (Sirius had issues with Death Eaters as he was related to most of them) before hugging Lily again and looking at the book.

**High above them, floating along in midair, four struggling figures were being contorted into grotesque shapes. It was as though the masked wizards on the ground were puppeteers, and the people above them were marionettes operated by invisible strings that rose from the wands into the air. **

**Two of the figures were very small.**

"Children?" James gasped, pulling away from Lily and going to fume with Sirius.

Harry nodded glumly and Ron looked a bit sick.

**More wizards were joining the marching group, laughing and pointing up at the floating bodies. Tents crumpled and fell as the marching crowd swelled. Once or twice Harry saw one of the marchers blast a tent out of his way with his wand. Several caught fire.**

"I hope no one is inside," Lily muttered worriedly.

**The screaming grew louder. **

**The floating people were suddenly illuminated as they passed over a burning tent and Harry recognized one of them: Mr. Roberts, the campsite manager. **

"Oh, of course! Let's torture the muggles!" Sirius said, looking disgusted and ashamed.

James patted him on the back again murmuring quietly, "It's all right mate. You're not like them. You're a Potter now."

Sirius smiled slightly before frowning again.

**The other three looked as though they might be his wife and children. One of the marchers below flipped Mrs. Roberts upside down with his wand; her nightdress fell down to reveal voluminous drawers and she struggled to cover herself up as the crowd below her screeched and hooted with glee. **

"**That's sick,"**

They all nodded.

**Ron muttered, watching the smallest Muggle child, who had begun to spin like a top, sixty feet above the ground, his head flopping limply from side to side. **

Sirius grimaced again and James tried again to sooth him as Lily read on.

"**That is really sick…" **

**Hermione and Ginny came hurrying toward them, pulling coats over their nightdresses, with Mr. Weasley right behind them. At the same moment, Bill, Charlie, and Percy emerged from the boys' tent, fully dressed, with their sleeves rolled up and their wands out. **

"**We're going to help the Ministry!" Mr. Weasley shouted over all the noise, rolling up his own sleeves. "You lot - get into the woods, and stick together. I'll come and fetch you when we've sorted this out!" **

"You better listen to him." Lily told Harry fiercely, her son attracted _way _to much trouble. _Probably inherited it from James, _she thought, glaring at James.

"What did I do?" James asked, his voice slightly squeaky with fear.

Sirius snickered in Lily glared at him too. Sirius cringed.

Remus shook his head, "And to think you two have spent seven years with McGonagall."

"Minnie," James and Sirius immediately corrected.

Lily was debating whether or not she should also glare at Remus, but decided not to. She instead thought of it as a compliment that she could scare James and Sirius more than McGonagall.

The black haired Marauders gave her another worried look but Lily ignored them and kept reading.

**Bill, Charlie, and Percy were already sprinting away toward the oncoming marchers; Mr. Weasley tore after them. Ministry wizards were dashing from every direction toward the source of the trouble. The crowd beneath the Roberts family was coming ever closer. **

"**C'mon," said Fred, grabbing Ginny's hand and starting to pull her toward the wood. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and George followed. They all looked back as they reached the trees. The crowd beneath the Roberts family was larger than ever; they could see the Ministry wizards trying to get through it to the hooded wizards in the center, but they were having great difficulty. It looked as though they were scared to perform any spell that might make the Roberts family fall. **

**The colored lanterns that had lit the path to the stadium had been extinguished. Dark figures were blundering through the trees; children were crying; anxious shouts and panicked voices were reverberating around them in the cold night air. **

**Harry felt himself being pushed hither and thither by people whose faces he could not see. Then he heard Ron yell with pain.**

Sirius, James, Lily and Remus exchanged worried looks while Ron looked sheepish, Harry smiled slightly, and Hermione rolled her eyes.

The three Marauders and Lily looked a bit surprised, so Lily kept reading.

"**What happened?" said Hermione anxiously, stopping so abruptly that Harry walked into her. "Ron, where are you? Oh this is stupid - **_**lumos!**_**" **

**She illuminated her wand and directed its narrow beam across the path. Ron was lying sprawled on the ground. **

"**Tripped over a tree root," he said angrily, **

Sirius and James started laughing, Lily and Remus looked relieved and Ron's ears turned red.

**getting to his feet again. **

"**Well, with feet that size, hard not to," said a drawling voice from behind them. **

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned sharply. Draco Malfoy **

"Why can't he just leave you _alone_?" Sirius growled, that git was also his "family"

**was standing alone nearby, leaning against a tree, looking utterly relaxed. **

"Of course." James said.

"Well his dad's probably one of the Death Eaters out there." Sirius growled.

**His arms folded, he seemed to have been watching the scene at the campsite through a gap in the trees. Ron told Malfoy to do something that Harry knew he would never have dared say in front of Mrs. Weasley. **

"**Language, Weasley," said Malfoy, his pale eyes glittering. "Hadn't you better be hurrying along, now? You wouldn't like her spotted, would you?" **

**He nodded at Hermione, and at the same moment, a blast like a bomb sounded from the campsite, and a flash of green light momentarily lit the trees around them. **

"**What's that supposed to mean?" said Hermione defiantly. **

"**Granger, they're after Muggles," said Malfoy. "D'you want to be showing off your knickers in midair? Because if you do, hang around… they're moving this way, and it would give us all a laugh." **

"**Hermione's a witch," Harry snarled. **

"**Have it your own way, Potter," said Malfoy, grinning maliciously. "If you think they can't spot a Mudblood,**

Everyone in the room glared at the book and Sirius growled again. Hermione was the only one that ignored it, she was used to Malfoy by now.

"And he was telling Ron to watch his language!" Sirius shouted.

**stay where you are." **

"**You watch your mouth!" shouted Ron. Everybody present knew that "Mudblood" was a very offensive term for a witch or wizard of Muggle parentage. **

"**Never mind, Ron," said Hermione quickly, seizing Ron's arm to restrain him as he took a step toward Malfoy. There came a bang from the other side of the trees that was louder than anything they had heard several people nearby screamed. Malfoy chuckled softly. **

"**Scare easily, don't they?" he said lazily. "I suppose your daddy told you all to hide? What's he up to - trying to rescue the Muggles?"**

"Yeah, because he's not a Death Eater." Sirius growled again.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione were giving Sirius worried looks. James smiled.

"It's best just to let him vent." he said, figuring it safe now to go and sit back by Lily.

"**Where're your parents?" said Harry, his temper rising. "Out there wearing masks, are they?"**

"Of course." **(A/NGuess who?) **Sirius said.

**Malfoy turned his face to Harry, still smiling. **

"**Well…if they were, I wouldn't be likely to tell you, would I, Potter?" **

"**Oh come on," said Hermione, with a disgusted look at Malfoy, "let's go and find the others." **

"**Keep that big bushy head down, Granger," sneered Malfoy. **

"**Come on," Hermione repeated, and she pulled Harry and Ron up the path again. **

"**I'll bet you anything his dad is one of that masked lot!" said Ron hotly. **

"**Well, with any luck, the Ministry will catch him!" said Hermione fervently.**

Sirius gave a jerk of a nod and James had to bite his lip to suppress his snicker. Sirius was funny when he was angry.

"**Oh I can't believe this. Where have the others got to?" **

Sirius stopped growling and snarling and exchanged a worried look with the others.

**Fred, George, and Ginny were nowhere to be seen, though the path was packed with plenty of other people, all looking nervously over their shoulders toward the commotion back at the campsite. A huddle of teenagers in pajamas was arguing vociferously a little way along the path. When they saw Harry, Ron, and Hermione, a girl with thick curly hair turned and said quickly, **

"**Oü est Madame Maxime? Nous l'avons perdue -" **

Sirius had a blank expression on his face and Remus laughed, "French, Sirius, they must go to Beauxbatons," he said.

"**Er - what?" said Ron. **

"**Oh…" The girl who had spoken turned her back on him, and as they walked on they distinctly heard her say, "Ogwarts." **

"**Beauxbatons," muttered Hermione. **

"**Sorry?" said Harry. **

"**They must go to Beauxbatons," said Hermione. "You know… Beauxbatons Academy of Magic…I read about it in An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe." **

"**Oh…yeah…right," said Harry. **

"**Fred and George can't have gone that far," said Ron, pulling out his wand, lighting it like Hermione's, and squinting up the path. Harry dug in the pockets of his jacket for his own wand - but it wasn't there.**

"Oh no." James muttered.

"You _lost _your _wand_?" Sirius asked, looking angry and worried at the same time.

"Not exactly." Harry said before realizing his slip, "Oops."

"What?"

"Just read."

**The only thing he could find was his Omnioculars. **

"**Ah, no, I don't believe it…I've lost my wand!" **

"**You're kidding!" **

**Ron and Hermione raised their wands high enough to spread the narrow beams of light farther on the ground; Harry looked all around him, but his wand was nowhere to be seen. **

"**Maybe it's back in the tent," said Ron. **

"**Maybe it fell out of your pocket when we were running?" Hermione suggested anxiously. **

"**Yeah," said Harry, "maybe…" **

**He usually kept his wand with him at all times in the wizarding world, and finding himself without it in the midst of a scene like this made him feel very vulnerable. A rustling noise nearby made all three of them jump. Winky the house-elf was fighting her way out of a clump of bushes nearby. She was moving in a most peculiar fashion, apparently with great difficulty; it was as though someone invisible were trying to hold her back. **

"She must not have asked permission to hide." Sirius explained.

"That's horrible!" Lily shouted, "She ought to be able to get out of danger."

Ron groaned slightly, "Go ahead and give Harry's mum a SPEW badge Hermione."

Hermione frowned and Lily and the others from the present looked confused.

"Sixth year." Harry said.

"That's three more books though!" James pouted.

"**There is bad wizards about!" she squeaked distractedly as she leaned forward and labored to keep running. "People high - high in the air! Winky is getting out of the way!" **

"As you should." Lily muttered.

**And she disappeared into the trees on the other side of the path, panting and squeaking as she fought the force that was restraining her. **

"**What's up with her?" said Ron, looking curiously after Winky. "Why can't she run properly?" **

"**Bet she didn't ask permission to hide," said Harry. He was thinking of Dobby: Every time he had tried to do something the Malfoys wouldn't like, the house-elf had been forced to start beating himself up. **

Lily and Hermione both gave the book a glare.

"**You know, house-elves get a very raw deal!" said Hermione indignantly. "It's slavery, that's what it is!**

"They _like _it though." James muttered.

"I bet you have a house-elf too, eh?" Lily asked angrily.

James was about to protest but Sirius cut in.

"Lily, don't get the wrong idea." Sirius protested, "The Potter's treat their house-elf great!"

"Oh…sorry, James."

The untidy-haired Marauder smirked and sat back on the couch.

**That Mr. Crouch made her go up to the top of the stadium, and she was terrified, and he's got her bewitched so she can't even run when they start trampling tents! Why doesn't anyone do something about it?" **

"**Well, the elves are happy, aren't they?" **

James smirked again and Lily hit the back of his head for being a prat.

The others laughed at James' shocked expression.

**Ron said. "You heard old Winky back at the match…'House-elves is not supposed to have fun'…that's what she likes, being bossed around…" **

"Well, I don't know about _that_." James agreed; Lily smirked this time.

"**It's people like you, Ron," Hermione began hotly, "who prop up rotten and unjust systems, just because they're too lazy to -" **

**Another loud bang echoed from the edge of the wood. **

"**Let's just keep moving, shall we?"**

"Good idea," Sirius muttered.

**said Ron, and Harry saw him glance edgily at Hermione. Perhaps there was truth in what Malfoy had said; perhaps Hermione was in more danger than they were. They set off again, Harry still searching his pockets, even though he knew his wand wasn't there. **

**They followed the dark path deeper into the wood, still keeping an eye out for Fred, George, and Ginny. They passed a group of goblins who were cackling over a sack of gold that they had undoubtedly won betting on the match, and who seemed quite unperturbed by the trouble at the campsite. Farther still along the path, they walked into a patch of silvery light, and when they looked through the trees, they saw three tall and beautiful veela **

"Oh no."

**standing in a clearing, surrounded by a gaggle of young wizards, all of whom were talking very loudly. **

"**I pull down about a hundred sacks of Galleons a year!" one of them shouted. "I'm a dragon killer for the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures." **

"**No, you're not!" yelled his friend. "You're a dishwasher at the Leaky Cauldron…**

Sirius and James laughed.

**but I'm a vampire hunter, I've killed about ninety so far -" **

**A third young wizard, whose pimples were visible even by the dim, silvery light of the veela, now cut in, "I'm about to become the youngest ever Minister of Magic, I am." **

**Harry snorted with laughter. He recognized the pimply wizard: His name was Stan Shunpike,**

"The Knight Bus conductor?!" Sirius shouted through his laughter.

Harry nodded.

**and he was in fact a conductor on the triple-decker Knight Bus. He turned to tell Ron this, but Ron's face had gone oddly slack, and next second Ron was yelling,**

"Oh no."

"**Did I tell you I've invented a broomstick that'll reach Jupiter?" **

Sirius and James barely repressed their laughter.

"**Honestly!" said Hermione, and she and Harry grabbed Ron firmly by the arms, wheeled him around, and marched him away. By the time the sounds of the veela and their admirers had faded completely, they were in the very heart of the wood. They seemed to be alone now; everything was much quieter. **

**Harry looked around. "I reckon we can just wait here, you know. We'll hear anyone coming a mile off." **

**The words were hardly out of his mouth, when Ludo Bagman emerged from behind a tree right ahead of them. **

"Shouldn't he be helping the Ministry or something?" Lily asked.

"Probably." Remus answered.

**Even by the feeble light of the two wands, Harry could see that a great change had come over Bagman. He no longer looked buoyant and rosy-faced; there was no more spring in his step. He looked very white and strained. **

"**Who's that?" he said, blinking down at them, trying to make out their faces. "What are you doing in here, all alone?" **

**They looked at one another, surprised. **

"**Well - there's a sort of riot going on," said Ron. **

**Bagman stared at him. **

"**What?" **

"He doesn't even know?" Remus asked.

"Where's he been?" Sirius added.

"**At the campsite…some people have got hold of a family of Muggles…" **

**Bagman swore loudly. **

"**Damn them!" he said, looking quite distracted, and without another word, he Disapparated with a small pop.**

"**Not exactly on top of things, Mr. Bagman, is he?" **

"Not exactly."

**said Hermione, frowning. **

"**He was a great Beater, though," said Ron, leading the way off the path into a small clearing, and sitting down on a patch of dry grass at the foot of a tree. "The Wimbourne Wasps won the league three times in a row while he was with them." **

**He took his small figure of Krum out of his pocket, set it down on the ground, and watched it walk around. Like the real Krum, the model was slightly duck-footed and round-shouldered, much less impressive on his splayed feet than on his broomstick. Harry was listening for noise from the campsite. Everything seemed much quieter; perhaps the riot was over. **

"**I hope the others are okay," said Hermione after a while. **

"**They'll be fine," said Ron. **

"**Imagine if your dad catches Lucius Malfoy,"**

Sirius covered his ears, "I can't bare the disappointment, spare me from more hopeful comments."

The others in the room looked at his strangely and Sirius shrugged in response, looking weird as his ears were still covered by his hands.

**said Harry, sitting down next to Ron and watching the small figure of Krum slouching over the fallen leaves. "He's always said he'd like to get something on him." **

"**That'd wipe the smirk off old Draco's face, all right," said Ron. **

"**Those poor Muggles, though," said Hermione nervously. "What if they can't get them down?" **

"**They will," said Ron reassuringly. "They'll find a way." **

"**Mad, though, to do something like that when the whole Ministry of Magic's out here tonight!" said Hermione. "I mean, how do they expect to get away with it? Do you think they've been drinking, or are they just -" **

**But she broke off abruptly and looked over her shoulder. Harry and Ron looked quickly around too. It sounded as though someone was staggering toward their clearing. They waited, listening to the sounds of the uneven steps behind the dark trees. But the footsteps came to a sudden halt.**

Sirius slowly dropped his hands and the room plunged into absolute silence except for Lily's reading.

"**Hello?" called Harry. **

**There was silence. Harry got to his feet and peered around the tree.**

"Sit back down." James growled, throat constricted, "You don't even have a wand."

**It was too dark to see very far, but he could sense somebody standing just beyond the range of his vision. **

"**Who's there?" he said. **

**And then, without warning, the silence was rent by a voice unlike any they had heard in the wood; and it uttered, not a panicked shout, but what sounded like a spell. **

"_**MORSMORDRE!**_**" **

Sirius gaped at the book and the others looked at him, clueless.

"Er-Sirius?"

"It's the incantation to put up the dark mark," Sirius answered.

**And something vast, green, and glittering erupted from the patch of darkness Harry's eyes had been struggling to penetrate; it flew up over the treetops and into the sky. **

"**What the -?" gasped Ron as he sprang to his feet again, staring up at the thing that had appeared. **

**For a split second, Harry thought it was another leprechaun formation. Then he realized that it was a colossal skull, comprised of what looked like emerald stars, with a serpent protruding from its mouth like a tongue. As they watched, it rose higher and higher, blazing in a haze of greenish smoke, etched against the black sky like a new constellation. **

**Suddenly, the wood all around them erupted with screams. Harry didn't understand why, **

"That's right you don't _know_." James said sadly, _he _would've told Harry.

**but the only possible cause was the sudden appearance of the skull, which had now risen high enough to illuminate the entire wood like some grisly neon sign. He scanned the darkness for the person who had conjured the skull, but he couldn't see anyone. **

"**Who's there?" he called again. **

"**Harry, come on, move!" Hermione had seized the collar of his jacket and was tugging him backward. **

"**What's the matter?" Harry said, startled to see her face so white and terrified. **

"**It's the Dark Mark, Harry!" Hermione moaned, pulling him as hard as she could. "You-Know-Who's sign!" **

"**Voldemort's –" **

"**Harry, come on!" **

**Harry turned - Ron was hurriedly scooping up his miniature Krum - the three of them started across the clearing - but before they had taken a few hurried steps, a series of popping noises announced the arrival of twenty wizards, appearing from thin air, surrounding them. **

**Harry whirled around, and in an instant, he registered one fact: Each of these wizards had his wand out, and every wand was pointing right at himself, Ron, and Hermione. **

"They didn't do it!"

**Without pausing to think, he yelled, "DUCK!" **

**He seized the other two and pulled them down onto the ground. **

"_**STUPEFY!**_**" roared twenty voices - there was a blinding series of flashes and Harry felt the hair on his head ripple as though a powerful wind had swept the clearing. Raising his head a fraction of an inch he saw jets of fiery red light flying over them from the wizards' wands, crossing one another, bouncing off tree trunks, rebounding into the darkness— **

"**Stop!" yelled a voice he recognized. "STOP! That's my son!" **

"Excellent, Arthur."

**Harry's hair stopped blowing about. He raised his head a little higher. The wizard in front of him had lowered his wand. He rolled over and saw Mr. Weasley striding toward them, looking terrified. **

"**Ron - Harry" - his voice sounded shaky - "Hermione - are you all right?" **

"**Out of the way, Arthur," said a cold, curt voice. **

**It was Mr. Crouch. He and the other Ministry wizards were closing in on them. Harry got to his feet to face them. Mr. Crouch's face was taut with rage. **

"**Which of you did it?" he snapped, his sharp eyes darting between them. "Which of you conjured the Dark Mark?" **

"They didn't do it!"

"**We didn't do that!" said Harry, gesturing up at the skull. **

"**We didn't do anything!" said Ron, who was rubbing his elbow and looking indignantly at his father. "What did you want to attack us for?" **

"**Do not lie, sir!" shouted Mr. Crouch. His wand was still pointing directly at Ron, and his eyes were popping - he looked slightly mad. **

"That's because he is," Sirius said matter-of-factly.

"**You have been discovered at the scene of the crime!" **

"**Barty," whispered a witch in a long woolen dressing gown, "they're kids, Barty, they'd never have been able to." **

"**Where did the Mark come from, you three?" said Mr. Weasley quickly. **

"**Over there," said Hermione shakily, pointing at the place where they had heard the voice. "There was someone behind the trees…they shouted words – an incantation -" **

"**Oh, stood over there, did they?" said Mr. Crouch, turning his popping eyes on Hermione now, disbelief etched all over his face. "Said an incantation, did they? You seem very well informed about how that Mark is summoned, missy-" **

James and Sirius exchanged a look before the latter said, "Funny how a lot of spells work like that."

**But none of the Ministry wizards apart from Mr. Crouch seemed to think it remotely likely that Harry, Ron, or Hermione had conjured the skull; on the contrary, at Hermione's words, they had all raised their wands again and were pointing in the direction she had indicated, squinting through the dark trees. **

"**We're too late," said the witch in the woolen dressing gown, shaking her head. "They'll have Disapparated." **

"**I don't think so," said a wizard with a scrubby brown beard. It was Amos Diggory, Cedric's father. "Our Stunners went right through those trees…There's a good chance we got them…" **

"**Amos, be careful!" said a few of the wizards warningly as Mr. Diggory squared his shoulders, raised his wand, marched across the clearing, and disappeared into the darkness. Hermione watched him vanish with her hands over her mouth. A few seconds later, they heard Mr. Diggory shout. **

"**Yes! We got them! There's someone here! Unconscious! It's - but – blimey…" **

"**You've got someone?" shouted Mr. Crouch, sounding highly disbelieving. "Who? Who is it?" **

**They heard snapping twigs, the rustling of leaves, and then crunching footsteps as Mr. Diggory reemerged from behind the trees. He was carrying a tiny, limp figure in his arms. Harry recognized**

Lily looked stunned and stuttered for a moment before reading again.

**the tea towel at once. It was Winky.**

"What?" Remus asked, "The house-elf?"

"Yes, Moony. People don't wear tea towels," Sirius answered calmly and slowly, as though explaining this to someone very inept.

Remus frowned and rolled his eyes before throwing a pillow at Sirius (who was leaning back in his chair) and knocking him over.

"Continue, please, Lily-Flower." James said as Sirius grumbled and pulled himself up.

**Mr. Crouch did not move or speak **

"Ha! Won't he be happy, accusing children when it was his house-elf!" Sirius shouted. rubbing his wrist that he had used to catch himself.

**as Mr. Diggory deposited his elf on the ground at his feet. The other Ministry wizards were all staring at Mr. Crouch. For a few seconds Crouch remained transfixed, his eyes blazing in his white face as he stared down at Winky. Then he appeared to come to life again. **

"**This - cannot - be," he said jerkily. "No -" **

**He moved quickly around Mr. Diggory and strode off toward the place where he had found Winky. **

"**No point, Mr. Crouch," Mr. Diggory called after him. "There's no one else there." **

**But Mr. Crouch did not seem prepared to take his word for it. They could hear him moving around and the rustling of leaves as he pushed the bushes aside, searching. **

"**Bit embarrassing," Mr. Diggory said grimly, looking down at Winky's unconscious form. "Barty Crouch's house-elf…I mean to say…" **

"**Come off it, Amos," said Mr. Weasley quietly, "you don't seriously think it was the elf? The Dark Mark's a wizard's sign. It requires a wand." **

"**Yeah," said Mr. Diggory, "and she had a wand."**

A sudden look of realization came over Remus' face.

"What?" Sirius asked.

Remus shook his head and motioned for Lily to read; Sirius huffed.

"**What?" said Mr. Weasley. **

"**Here, look." Mr. Diggory held up a wand and showed it to Mr. Weasley. "Had it in her hand. So that's clause three of the Code of Wand Use broken, for a start. No non-human creature is permitted to carry or use a wand." **

**Just then there was another pop, and Ludo Bagman Apparated right next to Mr. Weasley. Looking breathless and disorientated, he spun on the spot, goggling upward at the emerald-green skull. **

"**The Dark Mark!" he panted, almost trampling Winky as he turned inquiringly to his colleagues. "Who did it? Did you get them? Barty! What's going on?" **

"Not exactly on top of things, is he?" James asked.

**Mr. Crouch had returned empty-handed. His face was still ghostly white, and his hands and his toothbrush mustache were both twitching. **

"**Where have you been, Barty?" said Bagman. "Why weren't you at the match? Your elf was saving you a seat too - gulping gargoyles!" Bagman had just noticed Winky lying at his feet. "What happened to her?" **

"**I have been busy, Ludo," said Mr. Crouch, still talking in the same jerky fashion, barely moving his lips. "And my elf has been stunned." **

"**Stunned? By you lot, you mean? But why -?" **

**Comprehension dawned suddenly on Bagman's round, shiny face; he looked up at the skull, down at Winky, and then at Mr. Crouch. **

"**No!" he said. "Winky? Conjure the Dark Mark? She wouldn't know how! She'd need a wand, for a start!" **

"**And she had one," said Mr. Diggory. "I found her holding one, Ludo. If it's all right with you, Mr. Crouch, I think we should hear what she's got to say for herself." **

**Crouch gave no sign that he had heard Mr. Diggory, but Mr. Diggory seemed to take his silence for assent. He raised his own wand, pointed it at Winky, and said, "**_**Rennervate!**_**" **

**Winky stirred feebly. Her great brown eyes opened and she blinked several times in a bemused sort of way. Watched by the silent wizards, she raised herself shakily into a sitting position. **

**She caught sight of Mr. Diggory's feet, and slowly, tremulously, raised her eyes to stare up into his face; then, more slowly still, she looked up into the sky. Harry could see the floating skull reflected twice in her enormous, glassy eyes. She gave a gasp, looked wildly around the crowded clearing, and burst into terrified sobs. **

"**Elf!" said Mr. Diggory sternly. "Do you know who I am? I'm a member of the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures!" **

**Winky began to rock backward and forward on the ground, her breath coming in sharp bursts. **

**Harry was reminded forcibly of Dobby in his moments of terrified disobedience. **

"**As you see, elf, the Dark Mark was conjured here a short while ago," said Mr. Diggory. "And you were discovered moments later, right beneath it! An explanation, if you please!" **

"**I - I - I is not doing it, sir!" Winky gasped. "I is not knowing how, sir!" **

"**You were found with a wand in your hand!" barked Mr. Diggory, brandishing it in front of her. And as the wand caught the green light that was filling the clearing from the skull above, Harry recognized it. **

"**Hey - that's mine!" he said **

"Winky took Harry's wand?" James asked, while Remus grinned.

Sirius growled, "You knew. You knew and you didn't tell me."

He gave Remus an offended look and the werewolf laughed.

Sirius growled again, causing the others to laugh. (Which made him even more irritated)

"Moody dog," James muttered.

**Everyone in the clearing looked at him. **

"**Excuse me?" said Mr. Diggory, incredulously. **

"**That's my wand!" said Harry. "I dropped it!" **

"**You dropped it?" repeated Mr. Diggory in disbelief. "Is this a confession? You threw it aside after you conjured the Mark?"**

"Did he just accuse _Harry _of conjuring the Dark Mark?" James asked, stunned.

Lily nodded, looking livid. James and Sirius gulped and felt _very _sorry for Amos Diggory.

"**Amos, think who you're talking to!" said Mr. Weasley, very angrily. "Is Harry Potter likely to conjure the Dark Mark?"**

"Exactly."

"**Er - of course not," mumbled Mr. Diggory. "Sorry…carried away…" **

"**I didn't drop it there, anyway," said Harry, jerking his thumb toward the trees beneath the skull. "I missed it right after we got into the wood." **

"**So," said Mr. Diggory, his eyes hardening as he turned to look at Winky again, cowering at his feet. "You found this wand, eh, elf?**

Lily winced slightly at every 'elf' Diggory said.

**And you picked it up and thought you'd have some fun with it, did you?" **

"**I is not doing magic with it, sir!" squealed Winky, tears streaming down the sides of her squashed and bulbous nose. "I is…I is…I is just picking it up, sir! I is not making the Dark Mark, sir, I is not knowing how!" **

"**It wasn't her!" said Hermione. She looked very nervous, speaking up in front of all these Ministry wizards, yet determined all the same. "Winky's got a squeaky little voice, and the voice we heard doing the incantation was much deeper!" She looked around at Harry and Ron, appealing for their support. "It didn't sound anything like Winky, did it?" **

"**No," said Harry, shaking his head. "It definitely didn't sound like an elf." **

"**Yeah, it was a human voice," said Ron. **

"**Well, we'll soon see," growled Mr. Diggory, looking unimpressed. "There's a simple way of discovering the last spell a wand performed, elf, did you know that?" **

**Winky trembled and shook her head frantically, her ears flapping, as Mr. Diggory raised his own wand again and placed it tip to tip with Harry's. **

"_**Prior Incantato!**_**" roared Mr. Diggory. **

**Harry heard Hermione gasp, horrified, as a gigantic serpent-tongued skull erupted from the point where the two wands met, but it was a mere shadow of the green skull high above them; it looked as though it were made of thick gray smoke: the ghost of a spell. **

"_**Deletrius!**_**" Mr. Diggory shouted, and the smoky skull vanished in a wisp of smoke.**

Lily stopped reading and thought for a moment, "Someone else could've conjured it and Winky could have picked it up."

James smiled sadly and said, "_Could_ have"

Lily frowned and handed him the book, not wanting to read.

"**So," said Mr. Diggory with a kind of savage triumph, looking down upon Winky, who was still shaking convulsively. **

"**I is not doing it!" she squealed, her eyes rolling in terror. "I is not, I is not, I is not knowing how! I is a good elf, I isn't using wands, I isn't knowing how!" **

"**You've been caught red-handed, elf!" Mr. Diggory roared. "Caught with the guilty wand in your hand!" **

"**Amos," said Mr. Weasley loudly, "think about it…precious few wizards know how to do that spell…Where would she have learned it?" **

"**Perhaps Amos is suggesting," said Mr. Crouch, cold anger in every syllable, "that I routinely teach my servants to conjure the Dark Mark?" **

"Is the _entire _ministry full of idiots? This is all ridiculous." Sirius muttered.

**There was a deeply unpleasant silence. Amos Diggory looked horrified. "Mr. Crouch…not…not at all." **

"**You have now come very close to accusing the two people in this clearing who are least likely to conjure that Mark!" barked Mr. Crouch. "Harry Potter – and myself. I suppose you are familiar with the boy's story, Amos?" **

"**Of course - everyone knows -" muttered Mr. Diggory, looking highly discomforted. **

"**And I trust you remember the many proofs I have given, over a long career, that I despise and detest the Dark Arts and those who practice them?" Mr. Crouch shouted, his eyes bulging again. **

"**Mr. Crouch, I - I never suggested you had anything to do with it!" Amos Diggory muttered again, now reddening behind his scrubby brown beard. **

"**If you accuse my elf, you accuse me, Diggory!" shouted Mr. Crouch. "Where else would she have learned to conjure it?" **

"That doesn't even make sense! First he said he didn't do it, then he pretty much said he did!" Sirius said, looking confused.

"**She - she might've picked it up anywhere -" **

"**Precisely, Amos," said Mr. Weasley. "She might have picked it up anywhere…Winky?" he said kindly, turning to the elf, but she flinched as though he too was shouting at her. "Where exactly did you find Harry's wand?" **

**Winky was twisting the hem of her tea towel so violently that it was fraying beneath her fingers. **

"**I - I is finding it…finding it there, sir…" she whispered, "there…in the trees, sir. **

"**You see, Amos?" said Mr. Weasley. "Whoever conjured the Mark could have Disapparated right after they'd done it, leaving Harry's wand behind. A clever thing to do, not using their own wand, which could have betrayed them. And Winky here had the misfortune to come across the wand moments later and pick it up." **

"**But then, she'd have been only a few feet away from the real culprit!" said Mr. Diggory impatiently. "Elf? Did you see anyone?" **

**Winky began to tremble worse than ever. Her giant eyes flickered from Mr. Diggory, to Ludo Bagman, and onto Mr. Crouch. Then she gulped and said, "I is seeing no one, sir…no one…" **

"**Amos," said Mr. Crouch curtly, "I am fully aware that, in the ordinary course of events, you would want to take Winky into your department for questioning. I ask you, however, to allow me to deal with her." **

"What's he going to do?" Lily asked worriedly.

**Mr. Diggory looked as though he didn't think much of this suggestion at all, but it was clear to Harry that Mr. Crouch was such an important member of the Ministry that he did not dare refuse him. **

"**You may rest assured that she will be punished," Mr. Crouch added coldly. **

"**M-m-master…" Winky stammered, looking up at Mr. Crouch, her eyes brimming with tears. "M-m-master, p-p-please…" **

**Mr. Crouch stared back, his face somehow sharpened, each line upon it more deeply etched. There was no pity in his gaze. **

"**Winky has behaved tonight in a manner I would not have believed possible," he said slowly. "I told her to remain in the tent. I told her to stay there while I went to sort out the trouble. And I find that she disobeyed me. This means clothes."**

"He's letting her go?" Lily gasped, "But that's good…right?"

James shook his head slowly, "Not from the house-elf's point of view."

"**No!" shrieked Winky, prostrating herself at Mr. Crouch's feet. "No, master! Not clothes, not clothes!" **

**Harry knew that the only way to turn a house-elf free was to present it with proper garments. It was pitiful to see the way Winky clutched at her tea towel as she sobbed over Mr. Crouch's feet. **

"**But she was frightened!" Hermione burst out angrily, glaring at Mr. Crouch. "Your elf's scared of heights, and those wizards in masks were levitating people! You can't blame her for wanting to get out of their way!" **

**Mr. Crouch took a step backward, freeing himself from contact with the elf, whom he was surveying as though she were something filthy and rotten that was contaminating his over-shined shoes. **

"**I have no use for a house-elf who disobeys me," he said coldly, looking over at Hermione. "I have no use for a servant who forgets what is due to her master, and to her master's reputation."**

Sirius shivered, thinking of the house-elf heads on the wall of his former home. James was thinking about the same thing and he smiled, both reassuringly and sheepishly, at Sirius.

**Winky was crying so hard that her sobs echoed around the clearing. There was a very nasty silence, which was ended by Mr. Weasley, who said quietly, "Well, I think I'll take my lot back to the tent, if nobody's got any objections. Amos, that wand's told us all it can - if Harry could have it back, please -" **

**Mr. Diggory handed Harry his wand and Harry pocketed it. **

"**Come on, you three," Mr. Weasley said quietly. But Hermione didn't seem to want to move; her eyes were still upon the sobbing elf. "Hermione!" Mr. Weasley said, more urgently. She turned and followed Harry and Ron out of the clearing and off through the trees. **

"**What's going to happen to Winky?" **

"She can go to Hogwarts!" Sirius shouted.

"That's one of your better ideas, Sirius." Remus muttered.

Sirius frowned, "I'm not sure whether to hex you…or thank you."

"Just thank me…so much less effort involved."

Sirius laughed, "Thanks _so _much, Moony," he said sarcastically.

**said Hermione, the moment they had left the clearing. **

"**I don't know," said Mr. Weasley. **

"**The way they were treating her!" said Hermione furiously. "Mr. Diggory, calling her 'elf' **

James gave Lily a pleading look, begging her not to interrupt and she sighed.

**all the time…and Mr. Crouch! He knows she didn't do it and he's still going to sack her! He didn't care how frightened she'd been, or how upset she was - it was like she wasn't even human!" **

"**Well, she's not," said Ron. **

Lily didn't interrupt but she gave Ron a glare that made him flinch.

**Hermione rounded on him. **

"**That doesn't mean she hasn't got feelings, Ron. It's disgusting the way -" **

"**Hermione, I agree with you," said Mr. Weasley quickly, beckoning her on, "but now is not the time to discuss elf rights. I want to get back to the tent as fast as we can. What happened to the others?" **

"**We lost them in the dark," said Ron. "Dad, why was everyone so uptight about that skull thing?" **

"**I'll explain everything back at the tent," said Mr. Weasley tensely. **

**But when they reached the edge of the wood, their progress was impeded. A large crowd of frightened-looking witches and wizards was congregated there, and when they saw Mr. Weasley coming toward them, many of them surged forward. **

"**What's going on in there?" **

"**Who conjured it?" **

"**Arthur - it's not - Him?" **

"**Of course it's not Him," said Mr. Weasley impatiently. "We don't know who it was; it looks like they Disapparated. Now excuse me, please, I want to get to bed." **

**He led Harry, Ron, and Hermione through the crowd and back into the campsite. **

**All was quiet now; there was no sign of the masked wizards, though several ruined tents were still smoking. **

**Charlie's head was poking out of the boys' tent. **

"**Dad, what's going on?" he called through the dark. "Fred, George, and Ginny got back okay, but the others -" **

"**I've got them here," said Mr. Weasley, bending down and entering the tent. Harry, Ron, and Hermione entered after him. **

**Bill was sitting at the small kitchen table, holding a bedsheet to his arm, which was bleeding profusely. **

Everyone shared a wince.

**Charlie had a large rip in his shirt, and Percy was sporting a bloody nose. Fred, George, and Ginny looked unhurt, though shaken. **

"**Did you get them, Dad?" said Bill sharply. "The person who conjured the Mark?" **

"**No," said Mr. Weasley. "We found Barry Crouch's elf holding Harry's wand, but we're none the wiser about who actually conjured the Mark." **

"**What?" said Bill, Charlie, and Percy together. "Harry's wand?" said Fred. **

"**Mr. Crouch's elf" said Percy, sounding thunderstruck. **

James and Sirius couldn't hold in a small snicker.

**With some assistance from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, Mr. Weasley explained what had happened in the woods. When they had finished their story, Percy swelled indignantly. **

"**Well, Mr. Crouch is quite right to get rid of an elf like that!" **

"You know Ron, I really don't like Percy," Sirius muttered.

"You wouldn't," Remus said ", he's too-never mind." Remus caught himself when he nearly said 'serious'.

"Serious?" Sirius offered, smirking, "You can never be too _Sirius._"

He wrote the word 'Sirius' in the air with his wand.

Remus groaned, mentally kicking himself for letting that slip.

"Enough." James moaned, "That pun is _way _over used."

Sirius was about to object when James cut him off by reading.

**he said. "Running away when he'd expressly told her not to…embarrassing him in front of the whole Ministry…how would that have looked, if she'd been brought up in front of the Department for the Regulation and Control" **

"**She didn't do anything - she was just in the wrong place at the wrong time!" Hermione snapped at Percy, who looked very taken aback. Hermione had always got on fairly well with Percy - better, indeed, than any of the others. **

"**Hermione, a wizard in Mr. Crouch's position can't afford a house-elf who's going to run amok with a wand!" said Percy pompously, recovering himself. **

"**She didn't run amok!" shouted Hermione. "She just picked it up off the ground!" **

"**Look, can someone just explain what that skull thing was?" said Ron impatiently. "It wasn't hurting anyone…Why's it such a big deal?" **

"**I told you, it's You-Know-Who's symbol, Ron," said Hermione, before anyone else could answer. "I read about it in The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts." **

"Oh, of course, a _book._" Sirius muttered.

Hermione glared at him and Remus muttered quietly, threateningly, "You know, there's a lot of hexes and jinxes in books that you wouldn't want coming at you."

Sirius shuddered and apologized to Hermione, who looked slightly stunned.

Remus smirked triumphantly and told Hermione that they annoyed him about books, constantly.

"**And it hasn't been seen for thirteen years," said Mr. Weasley quietly. "Of course people panicked…it was almost like seeing You-Know-Who back again." **

"**I don't get it," said Ron, frowning. "I mean…it's still only a shape in the sky…" **

"**Ron, You-Know-Who and his followers sent the Dark Mark into the air whenever they killed," said Mr. Weasley. "The terror it inspired…you have no idea, you're too young. Just picture coming home and finding the Dark Mark hovering over your house, and knowing what you're about to find inside…"**

Everyone winced and the four present-day teens shuddered.

**Mr. Weasley winced. "Everyone's worst fear…the very worst." **

**There was silence for a moment. Then Bill, removing the sheet from his arm to check on his cut, said, "Well, it didn't help us tonight, whoever conjured it. It scared the Death Eaters away the moment they saw it. They all Disapparated before we'd got near enough to unmask any of them. We caught the Robertses before they hit the ground, though. They're having their memories modified right now." **

"**Death Eaters?" said Harry. "What are Death Eaters?" **

Sirius bit his lip to keep from commenting on that and actually made it bleed.

"**It's what You-Know-Who's supporters called themselves," said Bill. "I think we saw what's left of them tonight - the ones who managed to keep themselves out of Azkaban, anyway." **

"**We can't prove it was them, Bill," said Mr. Weasley. "Though it probably was," he added hopelessly. **

"**Yeah, I bet it was!" said Ron suddenly. "Dad, we met Draco Malfoy in the woods, and he as good as told us his dad was one of those nutters in masks! And we all know the Malfoys were right in with You-Know-Who!" **

"**But what were Voldemort's supporters -"**

Remus interrupted suddenly, "Speaking of Voldemort supporters," Remus winced, "Sirius, I think we should let Peter come read again."

Sirius was about to protest but James shook his head.

"Remus is right. The future Peter isn't like the one we know now. He needs to know, he'd never go to Voldemort if he knew it would kill us. And then for Voldemort to comeback-Peter's terrified of Voldemort."

Sirius sighed in defeat, knowing they were right and rummaged for the map.

"I'll go find him when we get done with this chapter," he promised.

**Harry began. Everybody flinched – like most of the wizarding world, the Weasleys always avoided saying Voldemort's name. "Sorry," said Harry quickly. "What were You-Know-Who's supporters up to, levitating Muggles? I mean, what was the point?" **

"**The point?" said Mr. Weasley with a hollow laugh. "Harry, that's their idea of fun. **

Sirius growled.

**Half the Muggle killings back when You-Know-Who was in power were done for fun. I suppose they had a few drinks tonight and couldn't resist reminding us all that lots of them are still at large. A nice little reunion for them," he finished disgustedly. **

"**But if they were the Death Eaters, why did they Disapparate when they saw the Dark Mark?" said Ron. "They'd have been pleased to see it, wouldn't they?" **

"**Use your brains, Ron," said Bill. "If they really were Death Eaters, they worked very hard to keep out of Azkaban when You-Know-Who lost power, and told all sorts of lies about him forcing them to kill and torture people. I bet they'd be even more frightened than the rest of us to see him come back. They denied they'd ever been involved with him when he lost his powers, and went back to their daily lives…I don't reckon he'd be over-pleased with them, do you?"**

Sirius smiled wickedly at the thought of Voldy's wrath on some _choice _family members.

James gave him a worried look, "Easy, mate," he warned.

"**So…whoever conjured the Dark Mark…" said Hermione slowly, "were they doing it to show support for the Death Eaters, or to scare them away?" **

"**Your guess is as good as ours, Hermione," said Mr. Weasley. "But I'll tell you this…it was only the Death Eaters who ever knew how to conjure it. I'd be very surprised if the person who did it hadn't been a Death Eater once, even if they're not now…Listen, it's very late, and if your mother hears what's happened she'll be worried sick. We'll get a few more hours sleep and then try and get an early Portkey out of here." **

**Harry got back into his bunk with his head buzzing. He knew he ought to feel exhausted: It was nearly three in the morning, but he felt wide awake – wide awake, and worried. **

**Three days ago - it felt like much longer, but it had only been three days - he had awoken with his scar burning. And tonight, for the first time in thirteen years, Lord Voldemort's mark had appeared in the sky. What did these things mean? He thought of the letter he had written to Sirius**

Sirius smiled at the thought of comforting his godson.

**before leaving Privet Drive. Would Sirius have gotten it yet? When would he reply?**

"I hope I reply soon."

"Us too, mate."

**Harry lay looking up at the canvas, but no flying fantasies came to him now to ease him to sleep, and it was a long time after Charlie's snores filled the tent that Harry finally dozed off. **

Sirius tapped the map, muttered the password, and began to look for Peter.

**Author's Note: -laughs nervously- Is it safe out there? No throwing things, ok? **

**Did you miss me? –ducks some object that is thrown to fast to be recognized-**

**Hmm…wrong angle. Would you like an excuse? Or two or three? **

**I've been reading the Twilight Saga. It's like a black hole or something', sucking you in. I'm on Breaking Dawn...on pg 100 something.**

**I dunno….oh! I was sick…about a week ago.**

**I'm lazy…ok? I admit it. lol**

**Hmm…how will the readers take the slight cliffhanger? I imagine lots of "Update soon" 's in review.**

**Ah yes, please review.I want lots when I get home from school tomorrow!  
**

**I liked that A/N. ;) **


	11. Mayhem at The Ministry

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

_Before:_

"_**But what were Voldemort's supporters -"**_

_Remus interrupted suddenly, "Speaking of Voldemort supporters," Remus winced, "Sirius, I think we should let Peter come read again."_

_Sirius was about to protest but James shook his head._

"_Remus is right. The future Peter isn't like the one we know now. He needs to know, he'd never go to Voldemort if he knew it would kill us. And then for Voldemort to comeback-Peter's terrified of Voldemort."_

_Sirius sighed in defeat, knowing they were right and rummaged for the map._

……

_Sirius tapped the map, muttered the password, and began to look for Peter._

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sirius snarled as he spotted Peter in the Gryffindor Common Room on the map.

James gave him a worried look and faced Remus.

"Maybe you should go with him, Moony." he said, a werewolf could keep an angry animagus in check.

"Yeah, won't do us any good to go get Peter just so Sirius tears him to shreds." Remus agreed, standing up and walking over to Sirius.

"Overprotective mutt," James muttered.

Sirius scowled and Remus laughed. They left the Room of Requirement, Remus gripping Sirius' shoulder as he shook with fury and the effort of not running to find and attack Peter himself.

"You can shut the map now, Sirius. We don't want anyone to see it, which would be quite easy seeing how you have it open," Remus said, gesturing to the map that was open wide.

Sirius tapped it again, growling as he did so.

"Calm down, Sirius." Remus cautioned, Sirius actted irresponsibly when he got himself in a rage like this.

Sirius nodded and the continued the walk to the Common Room and silence.

Remus gave Sirius a warning look as he said the password and the portrait to the common room swung open.

With his hand still on Sirius' shoulder, Remus glanced around the Common Room for Peter and came up short.

"Must be in the dormitory," Remus muttered and the said, a little louder, "Do keep your temper in check, Sirius"

"I'll try." Sirius said, the sound low as he growled with the words.

Remus shook his head and pushed the door open. He laughed at the sight of Peter sprawled across the bed, asleep.

Sirius' jaw clenched and Remus held up a hand telling him to stay put as he walked forward to wake Peter.

"_Aguamenti."_, Remus muttered, pointing his wand at Peter.

A jet of water shot out, hitting Peter in the face so that he awoke, spluttering.

He sat up quickly and looked around.

"Remus? Sirius?", He muttered tiredly.

Remus smiled in response and Sirius gave a jerky nod.

"I couldn't get back in the room or I would have came and read with you guys. I don't know why I couldn't get in…"

Remus bit his lip, "You couldn't get in because Sirius didn't want you to."

"Huh?"

"It's about what you do in the future, Peter. We've finished _Prisoner of Azkaban_ and read a few chapters of the next one, _Goblet of Fire_. It took a while for Sirius to calm down enough for us to be able to come and get you."

Remus glanced over his shoulder where Sirius was standing, not moving to avoid any temptation, looking fixed to the floor.

"And, as you can see, he's really not that calm now."

"What did I _do_?"

"We'll explain when we get back to the room."

"Are the others still here?"

"Harry, Ron, and Hermione?" Remus asked, Peter nodded, "Yeah, we slept in the room, it made some more space for us."

"Let's go then."

Everyone in the room turned tense as Sirius, Remus, and Peter entered.

Peter noticed Lily holding the book and got slightly offended at how much they had read without him.

He must have done something _really bad._ He sat down nervously beside Remus and Sirius went to the other side of the room.

"What did I do?" he said weakly.

James picked up the book they had already finished and looked for the place where Peter had left at.

He found chapter eighteen and began skimming through it, refreshing his memory.

"Moony tells them all about us becoming an animagus and Snape came."

"Snape came?"

"He found the cloak under the willow."

"They all tried to disarm him at once and he got knocked out." Sirius said happily.

"Then we find out that you…um-" Remus began, hesitating.

"I what, Remus?"

"You worked as a spy for Voldemort."

Peter flinched at the name and looked horror-struck.

"You sold Lily and James to him, Peter."

Lily and James winced and Peter looked shocked.

"No wonder Sirius is angry," he muttered weakly.

"Sirius tried to come after you when he found out but you blew up the street, cut off your finger and transformed."

Peter gasped and looked wide-eyed at Remus.

"They persuaded Harry and Sirius and I were about to kill you-"

Peter gasped again and looked even more horror-struck. His own friends were going to kill him in the future. _Not like I don't deserve it,_ he thought.

"-But Harry stops us." Peter gave Harry a grateful look, "We head towards the castle but the moon's out." Remus' voice broke at the end and James took over for him.

"Remus transforms, you escape, Sirius gets hurt by Remus because he didn't take the Wolfsbane that night and Sirius gets near the lake and Harry follows. Dementors come but someone holds them off."

"Who?"

"All in good time, Wormtail."

"Harry wakes up in the hospital and finds out Sirius is locked up. After talking to Dumbledore, he and Hermione go back in time, with a time turner, and save Sirius and Buckbeak."

Peter was glad that Sirius escaped but still felt horrid for everything else.

The others quickly explained the events of _Goblet of Fire_ so far and Peter was terrorized at the thought of helping Voldemort.

Seth suddenly woke up and looked around, his eyes found Peter and he pondered the new arrival.

Peter jumped, rats and snakes did _not _mix.

"What's with the snake?"

"It's Remus', I conjured it to wake him up and he wanted to keep it."

Seth slithered toward Remus and wrapped around his arm.

**CHAPTER TEN **

**MAYHEM AT THE MINISTRY **

**Mr. Weasley woke them after only a few hours sleep.**

Ron and Sirius protested this with a loud wine and Seth hissed.

**He used magic to pack up the tents,**

"Good."

**and they left the campsite as quickly as possible, passing Mr. Roberts at the door of his cottage. Mr. Roberts had a strange, dazed look about him, and he waved them off with a vague "Merry Christmas."**

"Poor guy." Sirius muttered.

"**He'll be all right," said Mr. Weasley quietly as they marched off onto the moor. "Sometimes, when a person's memory's modified, it makes him a bit disorientated for a while…and that was a big thing they had to make him forget." **

**They heard urgent voices as they approached the spot where the Portkeys lay, and when they reached it, they found a great number of witches and wizards gathered around Basil, the keeper of the Portkeys, all clamoring to get away from the campsite as quickly as possible. Mr. Weasley had a hurried discussion with Basil; they joined the queue, and were able to take an old rubber tire back to Stoatshead Hill before the sun had really risen. They walked back through Ottery St. Catchpole and up the damp lane toward the Burrow in the dawn light, talking very little because they were so exhausted, and thinking longingly of their breakfast. As they rounded the corner and the Burrow came into view, a cry echoed along the lane. **

"**Oh thank goodness, thank goodness!" **

**Mrs. Weasley, who had evidently been waiting for them in the front yard, came running toward them, still wearing her bedroom slippers, her face pale and strained, a rolled-up copy of the ****Daily Prophet ****clutched in her hand. **

"**Arthur - I've been so worried - so worried-" **

Everyone (minus Seth) gave the book sympathetic looks.

**She flung her arms around Mr. Weasley's neck, and the ****Daily Prophet ****fell out of her limp hand onto the ground. Looking down, Harry saw the headline: SCENES OF TERROR AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP, complete with a twinkling black-and-white photograph of the Dark Mark over the treetops. **

"**You're all right," Mrs. Weasley muttered distractedly, releasing Mr. Weasley and staring around at them all with red eyes, "you're alive…Oh boys…" And to everybody's surprise, she seized Fred and George and pulled them both into such a tight hug that their heads banged together. **

James and Sirius looked confused.

Remus rolled his eyes, "She feels guilty for shouting at them before they left."

"Oh."

"**Ouch! Mum - you're strangling us -" **

"**I shouted at you before you left!" Mrs. Weasley said, starting to sob. "It's all I've been thinking about! What if You-Know-Who had got you, and the last thing I ever said to you was that you didn't get enough OW.L.s? Oh Fred…George…" **

"**Come on, now, Molly, we're all perfectly okay," said Mr. Weasley soothingly, pricing her off the twins and leading her back toward the house. "Bill," he added in an undertone, "pick up that paper, I want to see what it says…" **

**When they were all crammed into the tiny kitchen, and Hermione had made Mrs. Weasley a cup of very strong tea, into which Mr. Weasley insisted on pouring a shot of Ogdens Old Firewhiskey, Bill handed his father the newspaper. Mr. Weasley scanned the front page while Percy looked over his shoulder. **

"**I knew it," said Mr. Weasley heavily. "Ministry blunders…culprits not apprehended…lax security…Dark wizards running unchecked…national disgrace…Who wrote this? Ah…of course…Rita Skeeter." **

Everyone in the room that new Skeeter snarled.

"**That woman's got it in for the Ministry of Magic!" **

James sighed, "Percy."

**said Percy furiously. "Last week she was saying we're wasting our time quibbling about cauldron thickness, when we should be stamping out vampires! As if it wasn't specifically stated in paragraph twelve of the Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans —" **

"**Do us a favor, Perce," said Bill, yawning, "and shut up."**

Sirius, James, Ron and Harry snickered.

"**I'm mentioned," said Mr. Weasley, his eyes widening behind his glasses as he reached the bottom of the ****Daily Prophet ****article. **

"**Where?" spluttered Mrs. Weasley, choking on her tea and whiskey. "If I'd seen that, I'd have known you were alive!" **

"**Not by name," said Mr. Weasley. "Listen to this: 'If the terrified wizards and witches who waited breathlessly for news at the edge of the wood expected reassurance from the Ministry of Magic, they were sadly disappointed. A Ministry official emerged some time after the appearance of the Dark Mark alleging that nobody had been hurt, but refusing to give any more information. Whether this statement will be enough to quash the rumors that several bodies were removed from the woods an hour later, remains to be seen.' Oh really," said Mr. Weasley in exasperation, handing the paper to Percy. "Nobody was hurt. What was I supposed to say? 'Rumors that several bodies were removed from the woods…' well, there certainly will be rumors now she's printed that." **

"I hate that woman," Sirius growled.

Harry nodded in agreement.

**He heaved a deep sigh. "Molly, I'm going to have to go into the office; this is going to take some smoothing over." **

"**I'll come with you, Father," said Percy importantly. "Mr. Crouch will need all hands on deck. And I can give him my cauldron report in person." **

"Oh, of course."

**He bustled out of the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley looked most upset. "Arthur, you're supposed to be on holiday! This hasn't got anything to do with your office; surely they can handle this without you?" **

"**I've got to go, Molly," said Mr. Weasley. "I've made things worse. I'll just change into my robes and I'll be off…" **

"**Mrs. Weasley," said Harry suddenly, unable to contain himself, "Hedwig hasn't arrived with a letter for me, has she?" **

"**Hedwig, dear?" said Mrs. Weasley distractedly. "No…no, there hasn't been any post at all."**

"I need to hurry up," Sirius growled.

"Well Padfoot, we don't really know where you are. You might be somewhere far away that it takes Hedwig a while to get back." Remus said reasonably.

"Whatever Moony."

**Ron and Hermione looked curiously at Harry. With a meaningful look at both of them he said, "All right if I go and dump my stuff in your room, Ron?" **

"**Yeah…think I will too," said Ron at once. "Hermione?" **

"**Yes," she said quickly, and the three of them marched out of the kitchen and up the stairs. **

"**What's up, Harry?" said Ron, the moment they had closed the door of the attic room behind them. **

"**There's something I haven't told you," Harry said. "On Saturday morning, I woke up with my scar hurting again." **

**Ron's and Hermione's reactions were almost exactly as Harry had imagined them back in his bedroom on Privet Drive. Hermione gasped and started making suggestions at once, mentioning a number of reference books, and everybody from Albus Dumbledore to Madam Pomfrey, the Hogwarts nurse. Ron simply looked dumbstruck.**

"Merlin you know your friends." James muttered.

Lily laughed, "And you don't know yours? You and Sirius always finish each others sentences."

James huffed.

"**But - he wasn't there, was he? You-Know-Who? I mean - last time your scar kept hurting, he was at Hogwarts, wasn't he?" **

"**I'm sure he wasn't on Privet Drive," said Harry. "But I was dreaming about him…him and Peter**

Peter flinched, remembering what he had learned about his future.

**-you know, Wormtail. I can't remember all of it now, but they were plotting to kill…someone."**

"Yeah, you." Sirius growled.

**He had teetered for a moment on the verge of saying "me," but couldn't bring himself to make Hermione look any more horrified than she already did. **

"**It was only a dream," said Ron bracingly. "Just a nightmare." **

"**Yeah, but was it, though?" said Harry, turning to look out of the window at the brightening sky. "It's weird, isn't it…? My scar hurts, and three days later the Death Eaters are on the march, and Voldemort's sign's up in the sky again." **

"**Don't - say - his - name!" Ron hissed through gritted teeth. **

"**And remember what Professor Trelawney said?" Harry went on, ignoring Ron. "At the end of last year?" **

**Professor Trelawney was their Divination teacher at Hogwarts. Hermione's terrified look vanished as she let out a derisive snort. **

"**Oh Harry, you aren't going to pay attention to anything that old fraud says?"**

"It was different Hermione."

"**You weren't there," said Harry. "You didn't hear her. This time was different. I told you, she went into a trance - a real one. And she said the Dark Lord would rise again…greater and more terrible than ever before…and he'd manage it because his servant was going to go back to him…and that night Wormtail escaped." **

**There was a silence in which Ron fidgeted absentmindedly with a hole in his Chudley Cannons bedspread. **

"**Why were you asking if Hedwig had come, Harry?" Hermione asked. "Are you expecting a letter?" **

"**I told Sirius about my scar," said Harry, shrugging. "I'm waiting for his answer." **

"**Good thinking!" said Ron, his expression clearing. "I bet Sirius'll know what to do!"**

Sirius grinned proudly.

"Don't let it go to your head mate." James muttered.

"Shut up, Prongs. You're ruining my moment."

"**I hoped he'd get back to me quickly," said Harry. **

"**But we don't know where Sirius is…he could be in Africa or somewhere, couldn't he?" said Hermione reasonably. "Hedwig's not going to manage that journey in a few days."**

"Exactly." Remus said smugly.

"**Yeah, I know," said Harry, but there was a leaden feeling in his stomach as he looked out of the window at the Hedwig-free sky. **

"**Come and have a game of Quidditch in the orchard, Harry" said Ron. "Come on - three on three, Bill and Charlie and Fred and George will play…You can try out the Wronski Feint…" **

"**Ron," said Hermione, in an I-don't-think-you're-being-very-sensitive sort of voice, "Harry doesn't want to play Quidditch right now…He's worried, and he's tired…We all need to go to bed…" **

"**Yeah, I want to play Quidditch," said Harry suddenly. "Hang on, I'll get my Firebolt." **

**Hermione left the room, muttering something that sounded very much like "Boys." **

**Neither Mr. Weasley nor Percy was at home much over the following week. Both left the house each morning before the rest of the family got up, and returned well after dinner every night. **

"**It's been an absolute uproar," Percy told them importantly the Sunday evening before they were due to return to Hogwarts. "I've been putting out fires all week. People keep sending Howlers, and of course, if you don't open a Howler straight away, it explodes. Scorch marks all over my desk and my best quill reduced to cinders."**

"Oh what a tragedy." James muttered.

"**Why are they all sending Howlers?" asked Ginny, who was mending her copy of One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi with Spellotape on the rug in front of the living room fire. **

"**Complaining about security at the World Cup," said Percy. "They want compensation for their ruined property. Mundungus Fletcher's put in a claim for a twelve-bedroomed tent with en-suite Jacuzzi, but I've got his number. I know for a fact he was sleeping under a cloak propped on sticks." **

**Mrs. Weasley glanced at the grandfather clock in the corner. Harry liked this clock. It was completely useless if you wanted to know the time, but otherwise very informative. It had nine golden hands, and each of them was engraved with one of the Weasley family's names. There were no numerals around the face, but descriptions of where each family member might be. "Home," "school," and "work" were there, but there was also "traveling," "lost," "hospital," "prison," and, in the position where the number twelve would be on a normal clock, "mortal peril." **

**Eight of the hands were currently pointing to the "home" position, but Mr. Weasley's, which was the longest, was still pointing to "work." Mrs. Weasley sighed. **

"**Your father hasn't had to go into the office on weekends since the days of You- Know-Who," she said. "They're working him far too hard. His dinner's going to be ruined if he doesn't come home soon." **

"**Well, Father feels he's got to make up for his mistake at the match, doesn't he?" **

"He didn't do anything wrong!" Lily shouted.

"It was that horrid Skeeter!" Sirius agreed.

**said Percy. "If truth be told, he was a tad unwise to make a public statement without clearing it with his Head of Department first -" **

"**Don't you dare blame your father for what that wretched Skeeter woman wrote!" said Mrs. Weasley, flaring up at once. **

"**If Dad hadn't said anything, old Rita would just have said it was disgraceful that nobody from the Ministry had commented," said Bill, who was playing chess with Ron. "Rita Skeeter never makes anyone look good. Remember, she interviewed all the Gringotts' Charm Breakers once, and called me 'a long-haired pillock'?" **

"**Well, it is a bit long, dear," said Mrs. Weasley gently. "If you'd just let me -" **

"**No, Mum." **

James and Sirius both grinned.

**Rain lashed against the living room window. Hermione was immersed in ****The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4****, copies of which Mrs. Weasley had bought for her, Harry, and Ron in Diagon Alley. Charlie was darning a fireproof balaclava. Harry was polishing his Firebolt, the broomstick servicing kit Hermione had given him for his thirteenth birthday open at his feet. Fred and George were sitting in a far corner, quills out, talking in whispers, their heads bent over a piece of parchment.**

"**What are you two up to?" said Mrs. Weasley sharply, her eyes on the twins. **

"**Homework," said Fred vaguely. **

"Please, you two never do your homework." Remus scoffed.

"**Don't be ridiculous, you're still on holiday," said Mrs. Weasley. **

"**Yeah, we've left it a bit late," said George. **

"**You're not by any chance writing out a new order form, are you?" said Mrs. Weasley shrewdly. "You wouldn't be thinking of restarting Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, by any chance?" **

"**Now, Mum," said Fred, looking up at her, a pained look on his face. "If the Hogwarts Express crashed tomorrow, and George and I died, how would you feel to know that the last thing we ever heard from you was an unfounded accusation?" **

Everyone laughed, even Seth snickered.

**Everyone laughed, even Mrs. Weasley. **

"**Oh your father's coming!" she said suddenly, looking up at the clock again. **

**Mr. Weasley's hand had suddenly spun from "work" to "traveling"; a second later it had shuddered to a halt on "home" with the others, and they heard him calling from the kitchen. **

"**Coming, Arthur!" called Mrs. Weasley, hurrying out of the room. A few moments later, Mr. Weasley came into the warm living room carrying his dinner on a tray. He looked completely exhausted. **

"**Well, the fat's really in the fire now," he told Mrs. Weasley as he sat down in an armchair near the hearth and toyed unenthusiastically with his somewhat shriveled cauliflower. "Rita Skeeter's been ferreting around all week, looking for more Ministry mess-ups to report. And now she's found out about poor old Bertha going missing, so that'll be the headline in the ****Prophet ****tomorrow. I told Bagman he should have sent someone to look for her ages ago." **

"**Mr. Crouch has been saying it for weeks and weeks," said Percy swiftly. **

"**Crouch is very lucky Rita hasn't found out about Winky," said Mr. Weasley irritably. "There'd be a week's worth of headlines in his house-elf being caught holding the wand that conjured the Dark Mark." **

"**I thought we were all agreed that that elf, while irresponsible, did not conjure the Mark?" said Percy hotly. **

"**If you ask me, Mr. Crouch is very lucky no one at the ****Daily Prophet ****knows how mean he is to elves!" said Hermione angrily. **

James rolled his eyes then laughed, "Percy's not going to like that!"

"**Now look here, Hermione!" said Percy. "A high-ranking Ministry official like Mr. Crouch deserves unswerving obedience from his servants -" **

"**His slave, you mean!" said Hermione, her voice rising passionately, "because he didn't pay Winky, did he?" **

"**I think you'd all better go upstairs and check that you've packed properly!" said Mrs. Weasley, breaking up the argument. "Come on now, all of you…" **

**Harry repacked his broomstick servicing kit, put his Firebolt over his shoulder, and went back upstairs with Ron. The rain sounded even louder at the top of the house, accompanied by loud whistlings and moans from the wind, not to mention sporadic howls from the ghoul who lived in the attic. Pigwidgeon began twittering and zooming around his cage when they entered. The sight of the half-packed trunks seemed to have sent him into a frenzy of excitement. **

"**Bung him some Owl Treats," said Ron, throwing a packet across to Harry. "It might shut him up." **

**Harry poked a few Owl Treats through the bars of Pigwidgeon's cage, then turned to his trunk. Hedwig's cage stood next to it, still empty. **

"**It's been over a week," Harry said, looking at Hedwig's deserted perch. "Ron, you don't reckon Sirius has been caught, do you?"**

Sirius looked horror struck before the rational part of his brain kicked in, "It would've been in the prophet."

"**Nah, it would've been in the ****Daily Prophet****," said Ron. "The Ministry would want to show they'd caught someone, wouldn't they?" **

"**Yeah, I suppose…" **

"**Look, here's the stuff Mum got for you in Diagon Alley. And she's got some gold out of your vault for you…and she's washed all your socks." **

**He heaved a pile of parcels onto Harry's camp bed and dropped the money bag and a load of socks next to it. Harry started unwrapping the shopping. Apart from ****The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4, by Miranda Goshawk****, he had a handful of new quills, a dozen rolls of parchment, and refills for his potion-making kit - he had been running low on spine of lionfish and essence of belladonna. He was just piling underwear into his cauldron when Ron made a loud noise of disgust behind him. **

"**What is that supposed to be?" **

**He was holding up something that looked to Harry like a long, maroon velvet dress. It had a moldy-looking lace frill at the collar and matching lace cuffs. There was a knock on the door, and Mrs. Weasley entered, carrying an armful of freshly laundered Hogwarts robes. **

"**Here you are," she said, sorting them into two piles. "Now, mind you pack them properly so they don't crease." **

"**Mum, you've given me Ginny's new dress," said Ron, handing it out to her. **

"**Of course I haven't," said Mrs. Weasley. "That's for you. **

"What?!" James shouted, struggling not to laugh.

**Dress robes." **

"**What?" said Ron, looking horror-struck. **

"**Dress robes!" repeated Mrs. Weasley. "It says on your school list that you're supposed to have dress robes this year…robes for formal occasions." **

"**You've got to be kidding," said Ron in disbelief. "I'm not wearing that, no way." **

"**Everyone wears them, Ron!" said Mrs. Weasley crossly. "They're all like that! Your father's got some for smart parties!" **

"**I'll go starkers before I put that on," said Ron stubbornly. **

"**Don't be so silly," said Mrs. Weasley. "You've got to have dress robes, they're on your list! I got some for Harry too…show him, Harry…" **

**In some trepidation, Harry opened the last parcel on his camp bed. It wasn't as bad as he had expected, however; his dress robes didn't have any lace on them at all - in fact, they were more or less the same as his school ones, except that they were bottle green instead of black. **

"**I thought they'd bring out the color of your eyes, dear," said Mrs. Weasley fondly. **

"**Well, they're okay!" said Ron angrily, looking at Harry's robes. "Why couldn't I have some like that?" **

"**Because…well, I had to get yours secondhand, and there wasn't a lot of choice!" said Mrs. Weasley, flushing. **

**Harry looked away. He would willingly have split all the money in his Gringotts vault with the Weasleys, but he knew they would never take it.**

Harry blushed slightly and Ron gave him a grateful look.

"**I'm never wearing them," Ron was saying stubbornly. "Never." **

"**Fine," snapped Mrs. Weasley. "Go naked. And, Harry, make sure you get a picture of him. Goodness knows I could do with a laugh." **

James and Sirius were laughing by now and Sirius had written something on his prank idea list.

**She left the room, slamming the door behind her. There was a funny spluttering noise from behind them. Pigwidgeon was choking on an overlarge Owl Treat. **

"**Why is everything I own rubbish?" said Ron furiously, striding across the room to unstick Pigwidgeon's beak. **

"Here" Remus muttered, handing the book to Sirius.

**A/N: Did you miss me? Last chapter I forgot to duck because SOME of you did throw things at me and I've been recovering. lol **

**No seriously, I got Guitar Hero 4: World Tour (IT ROX, DRUMS, MIC, AND GUITAR) Sunday and I've been playing and yesterday I had my birthday so yeah. OH and Toontown and Guitar Hero has begun taking up a lot of time away from fanfiction.**

**To make up for it I'M gonna start on chapter....12....and try and get it up tomorrow. PLZ, PLZ review, I mean what an awesome late Birthday Present, right?  
**


	12. Aboard the Hogwarts Express :

**A/N: **Not gonna say much here just that Harry, Ron and Hermione's time is after the battle of Hogwarts.

**CHAPTER ELEVEN **

**ABOARD THE HOGWARTS EXPRESS **

**There was a definite end-of-the-holidays**

"No…" Sirius moaned.

**gloom in the air when Harry awoke next morning. Heavy rain was still splattering against the window as he got dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt; they would change into their school robes on the Hogwarts Express. **

**He, Ron, Fred, and George**

James and Sirius cheered for their favorite twins. Harry, Ron and Hermione remembered the recent events of their own time and winced.

They realized that everyone in the room besides them and Seth were dead in there time. They sadly looked around the room, lingering on Sirius and Remus. Ron and Harry also lingered on Peter a bit.

The four Marauders and Lily looked a bit puzzled at their opposite reactions to James and Sirius'. (Seth looked like he could really care less)

**had just reached the first-floor landing on their way down to breakfast, when Mrs. Weasley appeared at the foot of the stairs, looking harassed. **

"**Arthur!" she called up the staircase. "Arthur! Urgent message from the Ministry!" **

**Harry flattened himself against the wall as Mr. Weasley came clattering past with his robes on back-to-front and hurtled out of sight. When Harry and the others entered the kitchen, they saw Mrs. Weasley rummaging anxiously in the drawers – **

"**I've got a quill here somewhere!" - and Mr. Weasley bending over the fire, talking to - **

**Harry shut his eyes hard and opened them again to make sure that they were working properly.**

"You've never saw someone floo before?" James asked curiously.

"Well I had saw them floo but I had never saw just their…head."

Sirius laughed, "It is kinda strange, isn't it?"

**Amos Diggory's **

James hissed and Lily gave him annoyed look that said clearly, _Get over it._

**head was sitting in the middle of the flames like a large, bearded egg.**

James snickered and muttered, "Egg head", under his breath.

Remus rolled his eyes, having heard with his werewolf senses and Lily glared at James, who she was sitting beside.

**It was talking very fast, completely unperturbed by the sparks flying around it and the flames licking its ears. **

"…**Muggle neighbors heard bangs and shouting, so they went and called those what-d'you-call-'ems - please-men. Arthur, you've got to get over there—" **

"**Here!" said Mrs. Weasley breathlessly, pushing a piece of parchment, a bottle of ink, and a crumpled quill into Mr. Weasley's hands. **

"**- it's a real stroke of luck I heard about it," said Mr. Diggory's head. "I had to come into the office early to send a couple of owls, and I found the Improper Use of Magic lot all setting off — if Rita Skeeter gets hold of this one, Arthur —" **

"**What does Mad-Eye **

"Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody, the Auror?" James asked.

"I 'Spose"

**say happened?" asked Mr. Weasley, unscrewing the ink bottle, loading up his quill, and preparing to take notes. **

**Mr. Diggory's head rolled its eyes. "Says he heard an intruder in his yard. Says he was creeping toward the house, but was ambushed by his dustbins." **

"What?"

"**What did the dustbins do?" asked Mr. Weasley, scribbling frantically. **

"**Made one hell of a noise and fired rubbish everywhere, as far as I can tell," said Mr. Diggory. "Apparently one of them was still rocketing around when the pleasemen turned up -" **

**Mr. Weasley groaned. **

"**And what about the intruder?" **

"**Arthur, you know Mad-Eye," said Mr. Diggory's head, rolling its eyes again. "Someone creeping into his yard in the dead of night? More likely there's a very shell-shocked cat wandering around somewhere, covered in potato peelings. But if the Improper Use of Magic lot get their hands on Mad-Eye, he's had it — think of his record — we've got to get him off on a minor charge, something in your department — what are exploding dustbins worth?" **

"**Might be a caution," said Mr. Weasley, still writing very fast, his brow furrowed. "Mad-Eye didn't use his wand? He didn't actually attack anyone?" **

"**I'll bet he leapt out of bed and started jinxing everything he could reach through the window," said Mr. Diggory, "but they'll have a job proving it, there aren't any casualties." **

"**All right, I'm off," Mr. Weasley said, and he stuffed the parchment with his notes on it into his pocket and dashed out of the kitchen again. **

**Mr. Diggory's head looked around at Mrs. Weasley. **

"**Sorry about this, Molly," it said, more calmly, "bothering you so early and everything…but Arthur's the only one who can get Mad-Eye off, and Mad-Eye's supposed to be starting his new job today. **

"What job?" James asked curiously.

Remus shrugged and his eyes narrowed as he thought.

**Why he had to choose last night…" **

"**Never mind, Amos," said Mrs. Weasley. "Sure you won't have a bit of toast or anything before you go?" **

"**Oh go on, then," said Mr. Diggory. **

**Mrs. Weasley took a piece of buttered toast from a stack on the kitchen table, put it into the fire tongs, and transferred it into Mr. Diggory's mouth. "Fanks," he said in a muffled voice, and then, with a small pop, vanished. **

**Harry could hear Mr. Weasley calling hurried good-byes to Bill, Charlie, Percy, and the girls. Within five minutes, he was back in the kitchen, his robes on the right way now, dragging a comb through his hair. **

"**I'd better hurry - you have a good term, boys," said Mr. Weasley to Harry, Ron, and the twins, fastening a cloak over his shoulders and preparing to Disapparate. **

"**Molly, are you going to be all right taking the kids to King's Cross?" **

"**Of course I will," she said. "You just look after Mad-Eye, we'll be fine." **

**As Mr. Weasley vanished, Bill and Charlie entered the kitchen. **

"**Did someone say Mad-Eye?" Bill asked. "What's he been up to now." **

"**He says someone tried to break into his house last night," said Mrs. Weasley. **

"**Mad-Eye Moody?" **

"Yessss…" James hissed, smirking.

Lily muttered something about a, "Big-headed husband", causing Sirius and Remus to laugh and James to shoot glares.

**said George thoughtfully, spreading marmalade on his toast. "Isn't he that nutter -" **

"Nutter?" James asked, "Moody's a great Auror."

Remus looked thoughtful, "Well, think about it. If you were an Auror that had put loads of people in Azkaban, most who probably want revenge, wouldn't that make you a bit paranoid too?"

"Stupid, know-it-all Moony." James muttered.

"You know that makes absolutely know sense. If I know everything that would make me the opposite of stupid." Remus said.

"Well….I….URG! Just Shut Up and let Sirius read!"

Remus snickered as Sirius started off again.

"**Your father thinks very highly of Mad-Eye Moody," said Mrs. Weasley sternly. **

"**Yeah, well, Dad collects plugs, doesn't he?" said Fred quietly as Mrs. Weasley left the room. **

"**Birds of a feather…" **

"**Moody was a great wizard in his time," said Bill. **

"**He's an old friend of Dumbledore's, isn't he?" said Charlie. **

"**Dumbledore's not what you'd call normal, though, is he?" said Fred. "I mean, I know he's a genius and everything…" **

"**Who is Mad-Eye?" asked Harry. **

"**He's retired, used to work at the Ministry," said Charlie. "I met him once when Dad took me into work with him. He was an Auror - one of the best…a Dark wizard catcher," he added, seeing Harry's blank look "Half the cells in Azkaban are full because of him. He made himself loads of enemies, though…the families of people he caught, mainly…and I heard he's been getting really paranoid in his old age. Doesn't trust anyone anymore. Sees Dark wizards everywhere." **

**Bill and Charlie decided to come and see everyone off at King's Cross station, but Percy, apologizing most profusely, said that he really needed to get to work. **

"**I just can't justify taking more time off at the moment," he told them. "Mr. Crouch is really starting to rely on me." **

"**Yeah, you know what, Percy?" said George seriously. "I reckon he'll know your name soon." **

Laughter was heard from all the black haired occupants as well as one red haired one.

**Mrs. Weasley had braved the telephone in the village post office to order three ordinary Muggle taxis to take them into London. **

"**Arthur tried to borrow Ministry cars for us," Mrs. Weasley whispered to Harry as they stood in the rain-washed yard, watching the taxi drivers heaving six heavy Hogwarts trunks into their cars. "But there weren't any to spare…Oh dear, they don't look happy, do they?" **

**Harry didn't like to tell Mrs. Weasley that Muggle taxi drivers rarely transported overexcited owls, and Pigwidgeon was making an earsplitting racket. Nor did it help that a number of Filibuster's Fabulous No-Heat, Wet-Start Fireworks went off unexpectedly when Fred's trunk sprang open, causing the driver carrying it to yell with fright and pain as Crookshanks clawed his way up the man's leg. **

James picked up Sirius' prank list as he crossed the room and put it on the book, making Sirius write this down.

**The journey was uncomfortable, owing to the fact that they were jammed in the back of the taxis with their trunks. Crookshanks took quite a while to recover from the fireworks, and by the time they entered London, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all severely scratched.**

**They were very relieved to get out at King's Cross, even though the rain was coming down harder than ever, and they got soaked carrying their trunks across the busy road and into the station. **

**Harry was used to getting onto platform nine and three-quarters by now. It was a simple matter of walking straight through the apparently solid barrier dividing platforms nine and ten. **

Remus snickered and asked James, "Remember when you and Sirius fell through on top of each other?"

James growled with Sirius.

**The only tricky part was doing this in an unobtrusive way, so as to avoid attracting Muggle attention. They did it in groups today; Harry, Ron, and Hermione (the most conspicuous, since they were accompanied by Pigwidgeon and Crookshanks) went first; they leaned casually against the barrier, chatting unconcernedly, and slid sideways through it…and as they did so, platform nine and three-quarters materialized in front of them. **

**The Hogwarts Express, a gleaming scarlet steam engine, was already there, clouds of steam billowing from it, through which the many Hogwarts students and parents on the platform appeared like dark ghosts. Pigwidgeon became noisier than ever in response to the hooting of many owls through the mist. Harry, Ron, and Hermione set off to find seats, and were soon stowing their luggage in a compartment halfway along the train. They then hopped back down onto the platform to say good-bye to Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie. **

"**I might be seeing you all sooner than you think," said Charlie, grinning, as he hugged Ginny good-bye. **

"**Why?" said Fred keenly. **

"**You'll see,"**

"Merlin, I hate secrets." Sirius growled.

James laughed, "Remember when we found out Remus was hiding something?"

Remus laughed as well, "It drove Sirius mad."

**said Charlie. "Just don't tell Percy I mentioned it…it's 'classified information, until such time as the Ministry sees fit to release it,' after all." **

"**Yeah, I sort of wish I were back at Hogwarts this year," said Bill, hands in his pockets, looking almost wistfully at the train. **

"**Why?" said George impatiently. **

"**You're going to have an interesting year," said Bill, his eyes twinkling. "I might even get time off to come and watch a bit of it." **

"**A bit of what?" said Ron. **

**But at that moment, the whistle blew, and Mrs. Weasley chivvied them toward the train doors. **

"**Thanks for having us to stay, Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione as they climbed on board, closed the door, and leaned out of the window to talk to her. **

"**Yeah, thanks for everything, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry. **

"**Oh it was my pleasure, dears," said Mrs. Weasley. "I'd invite you for Christmas, but…well, I expect you're all going to want to stay at Hogwarts, what with…one thing and another." **

"AHHHH! I'M GOING MAD….AGAIN!" Sirius roared.

Harry bit his lip before leaning in towards Sirius and beckoning him closer.

"Don't tell them…but there bringing back the Triwizard Tournament." he whispered, extremely quiet, so that not even Remus could catch it.

"Awesome." Sirius muttered.

"What is it?" James asked curiously.

"Can't say."

"WHAT?! Harry, please?"

Harry shook his head and James frowned, looking flakily hurt.

"You'll tell _SIRIUS_, but not me? Me, your father."

"Guilt's not going to work, _Dad." _Harry said, smirking.

"You're an evil son." James growled.

Harry laughed as Lily shot James a glare, "He's a wonderful son." she said.

"I was kidding Lily!" James squeaked, frightened by her expression.

Harry laughed, thinking that if they changed the future, he would have a _very _fascinating, entertaining childhood.

Sirius decide to save James and read again.

"**Mum!" said Ron irritably. "What d'you three know that we don't?" **

"**You'll find out this evening, I expect," said Mrs. Weasley, smiling. "It's going to be very exciting - mind you, I'm very glad they've changed the rules -" **

"**What rules?" said Harry, Ron, Fred, and George together. **

"This is torture!" James screeched.

Sirius gave him an I-know-something-you-don't-know look and grinned wickedly, "How do you like the madness now, Prongs!"

"I don't! I don't like it all!" James cried, pretending to sob.

"Now you know how _I _feel!"

"I'm so sorry, Sirius. I never knew!"

Sirius laughed hysterically and Remus snatched the book from him and read, "**"I'm sure Professor Dumbledore will tell you…**"

"HEY!" Sirius growled, snatching it back and continuing.

**Now, behave, won't you? Won't you, Fred? And you, George?" **

"Of course we will mother." James said, grinning.

**The pistons hissed loudly and the train began to move. **

"**Tell us what's happening at Hogwarts!" Fred bellowed out of the window as Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Charlie sped away from them. "What rules are they changing?" **

**But Mrs. Weasley only smiled and waved. Before the train had rounded the corner, she, Bill, and Charlie had Disapparated. **

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione went back to their compartment. The thick rain splattering the windows made it very difficult to see out of them. Ron undid his trunk, pulled out his maroon dress robes, and flung them over Pigwidgeon's cage to muffle his hooting. **

"**Bagman wanted to tell us what's happening at Hogwarts," he said grumpily, sitting down next to Harry. "At the World Cup, remember? But my own mother won't say. **

"Or my son, _or _my best mate." James muttered, fake-sobbing again.

"What would you say if I had told Remus?" Harry asked curiously.

Without thinking James said, "Or my son, _or _my best Moony."

Remus laughed along with everyone else while James continued to sulk.

**Wonder what —" **

"**Shh!" Hermione whispered suddenly, pressing her finger to her lips and pointing toward the compartment next to theirs. Harry and Ron listened, and heard a familiar drawling voice drifting in through the open door. **

"…**Father actually considered sending me to Durmstrang rather than Hogwarts, you know. He knows the headmaster, you see. Well, you know his opinion of Dumbledore - the man's such a Mudblood-lover –**

"Malfoy." Sirius growled.

**and Durmstrang doesn't admit that sort of riffraff. But Mother didn't like the idea of me going to school so far away. Father says Durmstrang takes a far more sensible line than Hogwarts about the Dark Arts. Durmstrang students actually learn them, not just the defense rubbish we do…" **

**Hermione got up, tiptoed to the compartment door, and slid it shut, blocking out Malfoy's voice. **

"**So he thinks Durmstrang would have suited him, does he?" she said angrily. "I wish he had gone, then we wouldn't have to put up with him." **

"Hear, hear!" Sirius shouted.

James now had his knees pulled up to his chest and was muttering, "Torture" under his breath.

"Is he alright?" Harry asked a bit worriedly.

"He's fine." Remus assured, "A bit melodramatic, but fine."

James glared at him.

"**Durmstrang's another wizarding school?" said Harry. **

"**Yes," said Hermione sniffily, "and it's got a horrible reputation. According to An Appraisal of Magical Education in Europe, it puts a lot of emphasis on the Dark Arts." **

"**I think I've heard of it," said Ron vaguely. "Where is it? What country?" **

"**Well, nobody knows, do they?" said Hermione, raising her eyebrows. **

"**Er - why not?" said Harry. **

"**There's traditionally been a lot of rivalry between all the magic schools. Durmstrang and Beauxbatons like to conceal their whereabouts so nobody can steal their secrets," said Hermione matter-of-factly. **

"**Come off it," said Ron, starting to laugh. "Durmstrang's got to be about the same size as Hogwarts — how are you going to hide a great big castle?" **

"Hogwarts is hidden to." Remus and Lily said at the same time.

"**But Hogwarts is hidden," said Hermione, in surprise. "Everyone knows that…well, everyone who's read Hogwarts, A History, anyway." **

"**Just you, then," said Ron. "So go on - how d'you hide a place like Hogwarts?" **

"**It's bewitched," said Hermione. "If a Muggle looks at it, all they see is a moldering old ruin with a sign over the entrance saying DANGER, DO NOT ENTER, UNSAFE." **

"**So Durmstrang'll just look like a ruin to an outsider too?" **

"**Maybe," said Hermione, shrugging, "or it might have Muggle-repelling charms on it, like the World Cup stadium. And to keep foreign wizards from finding it, they'll have made it Unplottable-" **

"**Come again?" **

"**Well, you can enchant a building so it's impossible to plot on a map, can't you?" **

"**Er…if you say so," said Harry. **

"**But I think Durmstrang must be somewhere in the far north," said Hermione thoughtfully. "Somewhere very cold, because they've got fur capes as part of their uniforms." **

"**Ah, think of the possibilities," said Ron dreamily. "It would've been so easy to push Malfoy off a glacier and make it look like an accident…Shame his mother likes him…" **

Sirius and James howled with laughter. Sirius reached for his prank list but stopped immediately when Lily gave a stern, "No."

**The rain became heavier and heavier as the train moved farther north. The sky was so dark and the windows so steamy that the lanterns were lit by midday. The lunch trolley came rattling along the corridor, and Harry bought a large stack of Cauldron Cakes for them to share. **

**Several of their friends looked in on them as the afternoon progressed, including Seamus Finnigan, Dean Thomas, and Neville Longbottom, a round-faced, extremely forgetful boy who had been brought up by his formidable witch of a grandmother.**

"Why not his parents?" Lily asked.

"Um…" Harry thought about telling her but then remembered that it had to do with the prophecy, "to important to the plot."

"Is Frank his dad?" James asked.

"Yeah."

"Who's his mum?"

"Alice Prewett."

Lily looked slightly horrified, I Neville had been brought up by his grandmother, did that mean something had happened to her best friend?

**Seamus was still wearing his Ireland rosette. Some of its magic seemed to be wearing off now; it was still squeaking "Troy - Mullet - Moran!" but in a very feeble and exhausted sort of way. After half an hour or so, Hermione, growing tired of the endless Quidditch talk, buried herself once more in The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4, and started trying to learn a Summoning Charm. **

**Neville listened jealously to the others' conversation as they relived the Cup match. **

"**Gran didn't want to go," he said miserably. "Wouldn't buy tickets. It sounded amazing though." **

"**It was," said Ron. "Look at this, Neville…" **

**He rummaged in his trunk up in the luggage rack and pulled out the miniature figure of Viktor Krum. **

"**Oh wow," said Neville enviously as Ron tipped Krum onto his pudgy hand. **

"**We saw him right up close, as well," said Ron. "We were in the Top Box -" **

"**For the first and last time in your life, Weasley.**

"Go away, Malfoy!" James growled, still clearly irritated about the secret he didn't know.

**Draco Malfoy had appeared in the doorway. Behind him stood Crabbe and Goyle, his enormous, thuggish cronies, both of whom appeared to have grown at least a foot during the summer. Evidently they had overheard the conversation through the compartment door, which Dean and Seamus had left ajar. **

"**Don't remember asking you to join us, Malfoy," said Harry coolly. **

"'Sactly, get out." Sirius growled.

"**Weasley…what is that?" said Malfoy, pointing at Pigwidgeon's cage. A sleeve of Ron's dress robes was dangling from it, swaying with the motion of the train, the moldy lace cuff very obvious. **

**Ron made to stuff the robes out of sight, but Malfoy was too quick for him; he seized the sleeve and pulled. **

"**Look at this!" said Malfoy in ecstasy, holding up Ron's robes and showing Crabbe and Goyle, "Weasley, you weren't thinking of wearing these, were you? I mean - they were very fashionable in about eighteen ninety… **

"**Eat dung, Malfoy!" said Ron, the same color as the dress robes as he snatched them back out of Malfoy's grip. Malfoy howled with derisive laughter; Crabbe and Goyle guffawed stupidly. **

"**So…going to enter, Weasley? **

"Enter what?" James asked, leaning towards Sirius eagerly.

**Going to try and bring a bit of glory to the family name? There's money involved as well, you know…you'd be able to afford some decent robes if you won…" **

"**What are you talking about?" snapped Ron. **

"**Are you going to enter?" Malfoy repeated. "I suppose you will, Potter? You never miss a chance to show off, do you?" **

"**Either explain what you're on about or go away, Malfoy," said Hermione testily, over the top of **_**The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 4**_**. **

**A gleeful smile spread across Malfoy's pale face **

"**Don't tell me you don't know?" he said delightedly. "You've got a father and brother at the Ministry and you don't even know? My God, my father told me about it ages ago…heard it from Cornelius Fudge. But then, Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry… Maybe your father's too junior to know about it, Weasley…yes…they probably don't talk about important stuff in front of him…" **

Sirius growled and scribbled on his list.

**Laughing once more, Malfoy beckoned to Crabbe and Goyle, and the three of them disappeared. **

**Ron got to his feet and slammed the sliding compartment door so hard behind them that the glass shattered. **

"**Ron!" said Hermione reproachfully, and she pulled out her wand, muttered "**_**Reparo!**_**" and the glass shards flew back into a single pane and back into the door. **

"**Well…making it look like he knows everything and we don't…" Ron snarled. "'Father's always associated with the top people at the Ministry'…Dad could've got a promotion any time…he just likes it where he is…" **

"**Of course he does," said Hermione quietly. "Don't let Malfoy get to you, Ron -" **

"**Him! Get to me!? As if!" said Ron, picking up one of the remaining Cauldron Cakes and squashing it into a pulp. **

**Ron's bad mood continued for the rest of the journey. He didn't talk much as they changed into their school robes, and was still glowering when the Hogwarts Express slowed down at last and finally stopped in the pitch-darkness of Hogsmeade station. **

**As the train doors opened, there was a rumble of thunder overhead. Hermione bundled up Crookshanks in her cloak and Ron left his dress robes over Pigwidgeon as they left the train, heads bent and eyes narrowed against the downpour. The rain was now coming down so thick and fast that it was as though buckets of ice-cold water were being emptied repeatedly over their heads. **

"**Hi, Hagrid!" Harry yelled, seeing a gigantic silhouette at the far end of the platform. **

"**All righ', Harry?" Hagrid bellowed back, waving. "See yeh at the feast if we don' drown!" **

**First years traditionally reached Hogwarts Castle by sailing across the lake with Hagrid. **

"**Oooh, I wouldn't fancy crossing the lake in this weather,"**

"Me neither." Lily muttered.

**said Hermione fervently, shivering as they inched slowly along the dark platform with the rest of the crowd. A hundred horseless carriages stood waiting for them outside the station. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville climbed gratefully into one of them, the door shut with a snap, and a few moments later, with a great lurch, the long procession of carriages was rumbling and splashing its way up the track toward Hogwarts Castle.**

"Here Prongs, I think the torture's gonna end soon….that is if you can pull yourself together and read." Sirius said, dropping the book into James' lap.


	13. The Triwizard Tournament

**Author's Note: OMG I'm so mad! I accidentally mashed refresh and had a bunch typed and it all got deleted!**

**CHAPTER TWELVE**

**THE TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT**

"They're bringing back the Triwizard Tournament! Awesome!" James shouted.

"You'd better not enter." Lily said threateningly, giving warning looks at her son.

"Don't worry, I don't." Harry said calmly.

James stared at incredulously, "How did you do that?"

"What?"

"Reply so calmly when she's glaring at you like that."

"I did _not _glare." Lily said, redirecting her "glare" to James.

"Well, you are now!" James squeaked.

Harry laughed and Lily glared at him too. He just continued to laugh, undisturbed by his mother's fiery glare.

"How?!" James shouted.

Harry shrugged but immediately knew "how". Dating a temperamental Weasley apparently had its advantages.

He sub-consciously **A/N I cannot spell that! **wished she was here and gasped when a blue, portkey-ish light appeared on the other side of the room.

"Oops." Harry muttered, jumping up and rushing over to catch 16 year old Ginny Weasley before she hit the floor.

"How come you didn't do that for us?" Ron complained, glaring at the hard floor.

Hermione shushed him a Harry set Ginny on her feet and she looked around.

"Harry did you bring her here?" Hermione asked.

"Yeah...accidentally." Harry said, blushing.

Ginny cut off Hermione's retort by asking, "Where _is _here?

"The Room of Requirement in Hogwarts....in the past." Sirius answered.

"Who-?"

"It's Sirius."Harry answered.

Ginny gasped slightly, causing Sirius to looked confused.

"-And that's Remus-"

"Lupin?"

"The one and only!" James said, grinning and wrapping an arm around Remus' shoulders, which Remus shook off, "James Potter."

"Your dad?" Ginny asked.

"Yeah."

"That's why he looks like you then."

"I actually think that works the other way around." Lily said.

"My mum, Lily Evans." Harry said, answering Ginny's questioning look.

"Oh, so that'd be Pettigrew?", she asked, Harry nodded.

"How old are they?"Ginny asked.

"17."

"So we're in..." ,she did some quick math, "1978?"

"1977 actually," Remus corrected, "It's Christmas holidays for us."

"Oh."

Harry suddenly pulled Ginny aside, far enough so Remus couldn't hear them.

"They found these books about my time in Hogwart's. There in my forth year so the don't know about-"Harry started; Ginny cut him off.

"-Us dating and we don't need to ruin it for them by being all....couple-y."

"Couple-y?" Harry asked, one eyebrow raised.

Ginny stuck her tongue out at him and walked back to the others, who all looked confused.

Ginny gave Harry a look and sat next to Hermione. Harry nodded in understanding, realizing she didn't think they should sit beside each other.

"Er-Who are you?" James asked, trying not to be rude.

"Ginny Weasley."

"Ron's sister?" Sirius asked, Ginny nodded.

"Can I read now?" James asked, "Unless you don't want to stay..."

"I'll stay." Ginny answered.

"Alright then." James said, picking up the book.

**Through the gates, flanked with statues of winged boars, and up the sweeping drive the carriages trundled, **

Sirius said, "That's a weird word."

"It means 1. to cause a round object to roll along or roll, 2. to convey or move in a wagon, cart, or other wheeled vehicle, 3. to cause to rotate, twirl or spin." Remus told him.

Many jaws dropped and Sirius yelped, "What are you, a human dictionary?"

Remus shrugged and motioned for James to read, which he did after giving Remus a bewildered look.

**swaying dangerously in what was fast becoming a gale. Leaning against the window, Harry could see Hogwarts coming nearer, its many lighted windows blurred and shimmering behind the thick curtain of rain. Lightning flashed across the sky as their carriage came to a halt before the great oak front doors, which stood at the top of a flight of stone steps. People who had occupied the carriages in front were already hurrying up the stone steps into the castle. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville jumped down from their carriage and dashed up the steps too, looking up only when they were safely inside the cavernous, torch-lit entrance hall, with its magnificent marble staircase.**

**"Blimey," said Ron, shaking his head and sending water everywhere, "if that keeps up the lake's going to overflow. I'm soak - ARRGH!"**

James shouted this and made them all jump. Seth hissed and noticed Ginny.

_"Not more people." _he hissed.

_"She's staying here so you might as well get used to it." _Harry replied.

Seth glared at him, "_I'm going to find something to eat. Someone let me out."_

_"Gladly." _Harry retorted, getting up and opening the door.

"What was that all about?" James asked.

"He doesn't like Ginny being here so he left and went to find something to eat."

**A large, red, water-filled balloon had dropped from out of the ceiling onto Ron's head and exploded. Drenched and sputtering, Ron staggered sideways into Harry, just as a second water bomb dropped - narrowly missing Hermione, it burst at Harry's feet, sending a wave of cold water over his sneakers into his socks. People all around them shrieked and started pushing one another in their efforts to get out of the line of fire. Harry looked up and saw, floating twenty feet above them, Peeves the Poltergeist,**

"Of course." James said, shaking his head and grinning.

"That sounds familiar, did we teach him that?" Sirius asked.

Lily frowned, "Yes, you two dropped water balloons on a bunch of first years once."

"Oh yeah!"

**a little man in a bell-covered hat and orange bow tie, his wide, malicious face contorted with concentration as he took aim again.**

**"PEEVES!" yelled an angry voice. "Peeves, come down here at ONCE!" Professor McGonagall, Deputy Headmistress and head of Gryffindor House, had come dashing out of the Great Hall; she skidded on the wet floor and grabbed Hermione around the neck to stop herself from falling.**

"Ouch." Ginny muttered as Hermione rubbed her neck in remembrance.

**"Ouch - sorry, Miss Granger -"**

**"That's all right, Professor!" Hermione gasped, massaging her throat.**

**"Peeves, get down here NOW!" barked Professor McGonagall, straightening her pointed hat and glaring upward through her square-rimmed spectacles.**

**"Not doing nothing!" cackled Peeves, lobbing a water bomb at several fifth-year girls, who screamed and dived into the Great Hall. "Already wet, aren't they? Little squirts! Wheeeeeeeeee!" And he aimed another bomb at a group of second years who had just arrived.**

James snickered, "We taught him that too."

**"I shall call the headmaster!" shouted Professor McGonagall. "I'm warning you, Peeves -"**

**Peeves stuck out his tongue, threw the last of his water bombs into the air, and zoomed off up the marble staircase, cackling insanely.**

**"Well, move along, then!" said Professor McGonagall sharply to the bedraggled crowd. "Into the Great Hall, come on!"**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione slipped and slid across the entrance hall and through the double doors on the right, Ron muttering furiously under his breath as he pushed his sopping hair off his face.**

They gave a sulking Ron sympathetic looks. Well, all of them except Ginny who told Ron to 'Suck it up.'

**The Great Hall looked its usual splendid self, decorated for the start-of-term feast. **

"Mmm...", Sirius mumbled, his stomach growling on cue.

He closed his eyes to wish up some food but James stopped him, "We can go to the Great Hall when were done with this chapter, OK?"

Sirius frowned.

**Golden plates and goblets gleamed by the light of hundreds and hundreds of candles, floating over the tables in midair. The four long House tables were packed with chattering students; at the top of the Hall, the staff sat along one side of a fifth table, facing their pupils. It was much warmer in here. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked past the Slytherins, the Ravenclaws, and the Hufflepuffs, and sat down with the rest of the Gryffindors at the far side of the Hall, next to Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost. Pearly white and semitransparent, Nick was dressed tonight in his usual doublet, but with a particularly large ruff, which served the dual purpose of looking extra-festive, and insuring that his head didn't wobble too much on his partially severed neck.**

**"Good evening," he said, beaming at them.**

**"Says who?" said Harry, **

"That was rude.", Lily muttered. Harry blushed slightly, "I was hungry." he protested.

**taking off his sneakers and emptying them of water. "Hope they hurry up with the Sorting. I'm starving."**

"You sound like Sirius." Remus said, laughing.

"The only difference is Sirius eats the whole way to Hogwarts and it _still _hungry." James agreed.

Sirius huffed.

**The Sorting of the new students into Houses took place at the start of every school year, but by an unlucky combination of circumstances, Harry hadn't been present at one since his own. He was quite looking forward to it. Just then, a highly excited, breathless voice called down the table.**

**"Hiya, Harry!"**

**It was Colin Creevey,**

"Isn't he that annoying kid?" James asked.

Harry winced and felt like he had been punched when he remembered the dead Colin in his own time, "He's alright."

Ginny, Ron and Hermione nodded, having the same thought of Harry.

** a third year to whom Harry was something of a hero.**

**"Hi, Colin," said Harry warily.**

**"Harry, guess what? Guess what, Harry? My brother's starting! My brother Dennis!"**

**"Er - good," said Harry.**

**"He's really excited!" said Colin, practically bouncing up and down in his seat. "I just hope he's in Gryffindor! Keep your fingers crossed, eh, Harry?"**

**"Er - yeah, all right," said Harry. He turned back to Hermione, Ron, and Nearly Headless Nick.**

**"Brothers and sisters usually go in the same Houses, don't they?" he said. He was judging by the Weasleys, all seven of whom had been put into Gryffindor.**

**"Oh no, not necessarily," said Hermione. "Parvati Patil's twin's in Ravenclaw, and they're identical. You'd think they'd be together, wouldn't you?"**

**Harry looked up at the staff table. There seemed to be rather more empty seats there than usual. Hagrid, of course, was still fighting his way across the lake with the first years; Professor McGonagall was presumably supervising the drying of the entrance hall floor, but there was another empty chair too, and Harry couldn't think who else was missing.**

**"Where's the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" said Hermione, who was also looking up at the teachers.**

Remus had a sudden look of realization on his face that he quickly wiped off, Ginny noticed it though.

She gave him a questioning look and he wrote something on a sheet of paper and handed it to her.

'Is Mad-Eye the new DADA teacher?', Ginny read.

She showed Harry and asked if she could tell him; he nodded.

She wrote the answer and passed it back. Remus smiled and incendio-ed the paper so certain people (Sirius and James) wouldn't try to see what was on it.

**They had never yet had a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher who had lasted more than three terms. Harry's favorite by far had been Professor Lupin, **

"Still is." Harry answered.

"Ours too." Hermione, Ginny, and Ron said together. Remus was defiantly the best out of all the others. (Quirell, Lockhart, impostor Mad-Eye, Umbridge, Snape and, for Ginny, Amycus and Alecto)

Remus smiled at them, a little shyly, and they returned it with full grins.

**who had resigned last year. He looked up and down the staff table. There was definitely no new face there.**

**"Maybe they couldn't get anyone!" said Hermione, looking anxious.**

"Just late, probably."

**Harry scanned the table more carefully. Tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher, was sitting on a large pile of cushions beside Professor Sprout, the Herbology teacher, whose hat was askew over her flyaway gray hair. She was talking to Professor Sinistra of the Astronomy department. On Professor Sinistra's other side was the sallow-faced, hook-nosed, greasy-haired Potions master, Snape**

James and Sirius scowled.

** - Harry's least favorite person at Hogwarts. Harry's loathing of Snape was matched only by Snape's hatred of him, a hatred which had, if possible, intensified last year, when Harry had helped Sirius escape right under Snape's overlarge nose **

Sirius cheered and James joined him, Peter looked gratefully at Harry.

**– Snape and Sirius had been enemies since their own school days.**

**On Snape's other side was an empty seat, which Harry guessed was Professor McGonagall's. Next to it, and in the very center of the table, sat Professor Dumbledore, the headmaster, his sweeping silver hair and beard shining in the candlelight, his magnificent deep green **

James gasped, "There not purple!" **A/N If you've read Marauders this'll probably be funnier**

**robes embroidered with many stars and moons. The tips of Dumbledore's long, thin fingers were together and he was resting his chin upon them, staring up at the ceiling through his half-moon spectacles as though lost in thought. Harry glanced up at the ceiling too. It was enchanted to look like the sky outside, and he had never seen it look this stormy. Black and purple clouds were swirling across it, and as another thunderclap sounded outside, a fork of lightning flashed across it.**

**"Oh hurry up," Ron moaned, beside Harry, "I could eat a hippogriff."**

Sirius surprised them all by suddenly laughing.

"What?"

"Remember? In the last book where Hagrid had made sure Moony didn't eat Buckbeak?", Sirius said, still laughing.

Everyone but Peter and Ginny (who hadn't been there) laughed.

**The words were no sooner out of his mouth than the doors of the Great Hall opened and silence fell. Professor McGonagall was leading a long line of first years up to the top of the Hall. If Harry, Ron, and Hermione were wet, it was nothing to how these first years looked. They appeared to have swum across the lake rather than sailed.**

"Or been pushed in!" Sirius shouted at James.

"No, Padfoot. I _pulled _you in because I fell over and grabbed you to try and keep from falling. And we both went in."

"It was so cold," Sirius moaned, "And the squid _touched _me."

** All of them were shivering with a combination of cold and nerves as they filed along the staff table and came to a halt in a line facing the rest of the school - all of them except the smallest of the lot, a boy with mousy hair, who was wrapped in what Harry recognized as Hagrid's moleskin overcoat. The coat was so big for him that it looked as though he were draped in a furry black circus tent. His small face protruded from over the collar, looking almost painfully excited. When he had lined up with his terrified-looking peers, he caught Colin Creevey's eye, gave a double thumbs-up, and mouthed, "I fell in the lake!" He looked positively delighted about it.**

Sirius moaned and muttered something. James shook his head in an amused fashion and read on.

**Professor McGonagall now placed a three-legged stool on the ground before the first years and, on top of it, an extremely old, dirty patched wizard's hat. The first years stared at it. So did everyone else. For a moment, there was silence. Then a long tear near the brim opened wide like a mouth, and the hat broke into song:**

"Please spare us your singing, Prongs, it's as bought as bad as Sirius'." Remus pleaded.

"Fine."

**_A thousand years or more ago, _**

**_When I was newly sewn, _**

**_There lived four wizards of renown, _**

**_Whose names are still well known: _**

**_Bold Gryffindor, _**

James and Sirius stopped to cheer.

**_from wild moor, _**

**_Fair Ravenclaw, from glen, _**

**_Sweet Hufflepuff, from valley broad, _**

**_Shrewd Slytherin,_**

James and Sirius, 'boo-ed'

**_ from fin. _**

**_They shared a wish, a hope, a dream, _**

**_They hatched a daring plan _**

**_To educate young sorcerers _**

**_Thus Hogwarts School began. _**

**_Now each of these four founders _**

**_Formed their own house, for each _**

**_Did value different virtues _**

**_In the ones they had to teach. _**

**_By Gryffindor, _**

"Yay!", James and Sirius shouted.

"Shut up!" Lily snapped, glaring at them.

"Yes ma'am." the said, going quiet.

Ginny looked rather amused and took note of Lily's behavior, it could be useful.

**_the bravest were _**

**_Prized far beyond the rest; _**

**_For Ravenclaw, the cleverest _**

**_Would always be the best; _**

**_For Hufflepuff, hard workers were _**

**_Most worthy of admission; _**

**_And power-hungry Slytherin _**

Sirius let a 'boo' slip and found himself without a voice....and with green and silver hair.

He reached for his wand to take the spells off but Lily easily disarmed him.

Sirius sat back and sulked.

**_Loved those of great ambition. _**

**_While still alive they did divide _**

**_Their favorites from the throng, _**

**_Yet how to pick the worthy ones _**

**_When they were dead and gone? _**

**'_Twas Gryffindor who found the way, _**

**_He whipped me off his head _**

**_The founders put some brains in me _**

**_So I could choose instead! _**

**_Now slip me snug about your ears, _**

**_I_'_ve never yet been wrong, _**

**_I_'_ll have a look inside your mind _**

**_And tell where you belong! _**

**The Great Hall rang with applause as the Sorting Hat finished.**

**"That's not the song it sang when it Sorted us," said Harry, clapping along with everyone else.**

**"Sings a different one every year," said Ron. "It's got to be a pretty boring life, hasn't it, being a hat? I suppose it spends all year making up the next one."**

**Professor McGonagall was now unrolling a large scroll of parchment.**

**"When I call out your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool," she told the first years. "When the hat announces your House, you will go and sit at the appropriate table.**

**"Ackerley, Stewart!"**

**A boy walked forward, visibly trembling from head to foot, picked up the Sorting Hat, put it on, and sat down on the stool.**

**"RAVENCLAW!" shouted the hat.**

**Stewart Ackerley took off the hat and hurried into a seat at the Ravenclaw table, where everyone was applauding him. Harry caught a glimpse of Cho, the Ravenclaw Seeker, cheering Stewart Ackerley as he sat down. For a fleeting second, Harry had a strange desire to join the Ravenclaw table too.**

Harry swallowed deeply and avoided Ginny's glare, which was much worse than Lily's.

Sirius and James flinched, even though it wasn't even directed at them.

**"Baddock, Malcolm!"**

**"SLYTHERIN!"**

Sirius frowned to show his dislike; James didn't dare speak other than reading.

**The table on the other side of the hall erupted with cheers; Harry could see Malfoy clapping as Baddock joined the Slytherins. Harry wondered whether Baddock knew that Slytherin House had**

**turned out more Dark witches and wizards than any other. Fred and George hissed Malcolm Baddock as he sat down.**

**"Branstone, Eleanor!"**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!"**

**"Cauldwell, Owen!"**

**"HUFFLEPUFF!"**

**"Creevey, Dennis!"**

**Tiny Dennis Creevey staggered forward, tripping over Hagrid's moleskin, just as Hagrid himself sidled into the Hall through a door behind the teachers' table. About twice as tall as a normal man, and at least three times as broad, Hagrid, with his long, wild, tangled black hair and beard, looked slightly alarming – a misleading impression, for Harry, Ron, and Hermione knew Hagrid to possess a very kind nature. He winked at them as he sat down at the end of the staff table and watched Dennis Creevey putting on the Sorting Hat. The rip at the brim opened wide— -**

**"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted.**

**Hagrid clapped along with the Gryffindors as Dennis Creevey, beaming widely, took off the hat, placed it back on the stool, and hurried over to join his brother.**

**"Colin, I fell in!" he said shrilly, throwing himself into an empty seat. "It was brilliant! And something in the water grabbed me and pushed me back in the boat!"**

'It was the squid!' Sirius wrote on a piece of parchment, waving it in the air frantically.

**"Cool!" said Colin, just as excitedly. "It was probably the giant squid, Dennis!"**

**"Wow!" said Dennis, as though nobody in their wildest dreams could hope for more than being thrown into a storm-tossed, fathoms-deep lake, and pushed out of it again by a giant sea monster.**

'Exactly'

"Sirius, don't make me take away that quill." Lily threatened as Sirius poked her with it, accidentally getting ink on her arm.

**"Dennis! Dennis! See that boy down there? The one with the black hair and glasses? See him? Know who he is, Dennis?"**

**Harry looked away, staring very hard at the Sorting Hat, now Sorting Emma Dobbs.**

**The Sorting continued; boys and girls with varying degrees of fright on their faces moving one by one to the three-legged stool, the line dwindling slowly as Professor McGonagall passed the L's.**

**"Oh hurry up," Ron moaned, massaging his stomach.**

**"Now, Ron, the Sorting's much more important than food," **

'Well, your dead!' Sirius wrote.

An annoyed Lily snatched the quill from him.

**said Nearly Headless Nick as**

**"Madley, Laura!" became a Hufflepuff.**

**"Course it is, if you're dead," snapped Ron.**

**"I do hope this year's batch of Gryffindors are up to scratch," said Nearly Headless Nick, applauding as "McDonald, Natalie!" joined the Gryffindor table. "We don't want to break our winning streak, do we?"**

**Gryffindor had won the Inter-House Championship for the last three years in a row.**

"'Course because Harry, Ron and Hermione, have been there."

**"Pritchard, Graham!"**

**"SLYTHERIN!"**

**"Quirke, Orla!"**

**"RAVENCLAW!"**

**And finally, with "Whitby, Kevin!" ("HUFFLEPUFF!"), the Sorting ended. Professor McGonagall picked up the hat and the stool and carried them away. "About time," said Ron, seizing his knife and fork and looking expectantly at his golden plate.**

**Professor Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was smiling around at the students, his arms opened wide in welcome.**

**"I have only two words to say to you," he told them, his deep voice echoing around the Hall. "Tuck in."**

**"Hear, hear!" said Harry and Ron loudly as the empty dishes filled magically before their eyes.**

**Nearly Headless Nick watched mournfully as Harry, Ron, and Hermione loaded their own plates.**

**"Aaah, 'at's be'er," said Ron,**

"What?" Lily asked.

James and Remus, who both had experience with this sort of eating (Because of Sirius) said, "Ah, that's better."

** with his mouth full of mashed potato.**

**"You're lucky there's a feast at all tonight, you know," said Nearly Headless Nick. "There was trouble in the kitchens earlier."**

**"Why? Wha' 'appened?" **

"I got that one." Lily mumbled.

**said Harry, through a sizable chunk of steak.**

**"Peeves, of course," said Nearly Headless Nick, shaking his head, which wobbled dangerously. He pulled his ruff a little higher up on his neck. "The usual argument, you know. He wanted to attend the feast - well, it's quite out of the question, you know what he's like, utterly uncivilized, can't see a plate of food without throwing it. We held a ghost's council - the Fat Friar was all for giving him the chance – but most wisely, in my opinion, the Bloody Baron put his foot down."**

**The Bloody Baron was the Slytherin ghost, a gaunt and silent specter covered in silver bloodstains. He was the only person at Hogwarts who could really control Peeves.**

**"Yeah, we thought Peeves seemed hacked off about something," said Ron darkly.**

**"So what did he do in the kitchens?"**

**"Oh the usual," said Nearly Headless Nick, shrugging. "Wreaked havoc and mayhem. Pots and pans everywhere. Place swimming in soup. Terrified the house-elves out of their wits—"**

**Clang.**

**Hermione **

"Merlin Hermione." James muttered.

**had knocked over her golden goblet. Pumpkin juice spread steadily over the tablecloth, staining several feet of white linen orange, but Hermione paid no attention.**

**"There are house-elves here?" she said, staring, horror-struck, at Nearly Headless Nick. "Here at Hogwarts?"**

**"Certainly," said Nearly Headless Nick, looking surprised at her reaction. "The largest number in any dwelling in Britain, I believe. Over a hundred."**

**"I've never seen one!" said Hermione.**

**"Well, they hardly ever leave the kitchen by day, do they?" said Nearly Headless Nick. "They come out at night to do a bit of cleaning…see to the fires and so on…I mean, you're not supposed to see them, are you? That's the mark of a good house-elf, isn't it, that you don't know it's there?"**

**Hermione stared at him.**

**"But they get paid?" she said. "They get holidays, don't they? And - and sick leave, and pensions, and everything?"**

**Nearly Headless Nick chortled so much that his ruff slipped and his head flopped off, dangling on the inch or so of ghostly skin and muscle that still attached it to his neck.**

**"Sick leave and pensions?" he said, pushing his head back onto his shoulders and securing it once more with his ruff. "House-elves don't want sick leave and pensions!"**

"Exactly!"

**Hermione looked down at her hardly touched plate of food, then put her knife and fork down upon it and pushed it away from her.**

**"Oh c'mon, 'Er-my-knee," said Ron, accidentally spraying Harry with bits of Yorkshire pudding. "Oops — sorry, 'Arry —" He swallowed. "You won't get them sick leave by starving yourself!"**

**"Slave labor," said Hermione, breathing hard through her nose. "That's what made this dinner. Slave labor."**

**And she refused to eat another bite.**

Sirius stared at Hermione like she was utterly insane.

Ginny glared at him, standing up for Hermione. Sirius sank back and looked the other way, causing Ginny to grin.

Harry shook his head.

Sirius got up and turned into his animagus(which had silver and green fur). He walked over to Lily and placed a paw on the couch beside her. Her raised his eye level to hers and gave her the best puppy-dog eyes he could muster.

Lily sighed in defeat and silently wished up a camera. She snapped Sirius' picture and took both spells off.

Sirius barked joyously and licked her face, causing her to wrinkle her nose and shove him off. Sirius trotted happily back to his seat and jumped into it, still in animagus form.

**The rain was still drumming heavily against the high, dark glass. Another clap of thunder shook the windows, and the stormy ceiling flashed, illuminating the golden plates as the remains of the first course vanished and were replaced, instantly, with puddings.**

**"Treacle tart, Hermione!" said Ron, deliberately wafting its smell toward her. "Spotted dick, look! Chocolate gateau!"**

**But Hermione gave him a look so reminiscent of Professor McGonagall **

"Yikes."

Sirius whined.

**that he gave up.**

**When the puddings too had been demolished, and the last crumbs had faded off the plates, leaving them sparkling clean, Albus Dumbledore got to his feet again. The buzz of chatter filling the Hall ceased almost at once, so that only the howling wind and pounding rain could be heard.**

**"So!" said Dumbledore, smiling around at them all. "Now that we are all fed and watered," ("Hmph!" said Hermione) "I must once more ask for your attention, while I give out a few notices.**

**"Mr. Filch, the caretaker, has asked me to tell you that the list of objects forbidden inside the castle has this year been extended to include Screaming Yo-yos, Fanged Frisbees, and Ever-Bashing Boomerangs. The full list comprises some four hundred and thirty-seven items, **

"It's grown." James said, looking like he'd love to buy everything on that list.

"Remember when we stole his list and bought everything on it, then used it on him." Remus recalled.

Yeah..." James said dreamily, experiencing a flashback.

Sirius barked happily.

**I believe, and can be viewed in Mr. Filch's office, if anybody would like to check it."**

**The corners of Dumbledore's mouth twitched. He continued, "As ever, I would like to remind you all that the forest on the grounds is out-of-bounds to students, as is the village of Hogsmeade to all below third year.**

**"It is also my painful duty to inform you that the Inter-House Quidditch Cup will not take place this year."**

"WHAT?!" James roared, "That's mad! No Quidditch!"

Sirius growled in agreement.

Lily shushed them and said reasonably, "There's probably a good reason."

**"What?" Harry gasped. He looked around at Fred and George, his fellow members of the Quidditch team. They were mouthing soundlessly at Dumbledore, apparently too appalled to speak. Dumbledore went on, "This is due to an event that will be starting in October, and continuing throughout the school year, taking up much of the teachers' time and energy - but I am sure you will all enjoy it immensely. I have great pleasure in announcing that this year at Hogwarts -"**

**But at that moment, there was a deafening rumble of thunder and the doors of the Great Hall banged open.**

**A man stood in the doorway, leaning upon a long staff, shrouded in a black traveling cloak. Every head in the Great Hall swiveled toward the stranger, suddenly brightly illuminated by a fork of lightning that flashed across the ceiling. He lowered his hood, shook out a long mane of grizzled, dark gray hair, then began to walk up toward the teachers' table.**

**A dull clunk echoed through the Hall on his every other step. He reached the end of the top table, turned right, and limped heavily toward Dumbledore. Another flash of lightning crossed the ceiling. Hermione gasped.**

**The lightning had thrown the man's face into sharp relief, and it was a face unlike any Harry had ever seen. It looked as though it had been carved out of weathered wood by someone who had only the vaguest idea of what human faces are supposed to look like, and was none too skilled with a chisel. Every inch of skin seemed to be scarred. The mouth looked like a diagonal gash, and a large chunk of the nose was missing. But it was the man's eyes that made him frightening.**

Sirius whined and rested his head on his paws.

**One of them was small, dark, and beady. The other was large, round as a coin, and a vivid, electric blue. The blue eye was moving ceaselessly, without blinking, and was rolling up, down, and from side to side, quite independently of the normal eye-and then it rolled right over, pointing into the back of the man's head, so that all they could see was whiteness.**

"Moody?" James wondered aloud, "Mad-Eye Moody?"

Remus nodded, smirking.

"You knew didn't you?"

Remus nodded.

"Figures."

Sirius huffed angrily.

**The stranger reached Dumbledore. He stretched out a hand that was as badly scarred as his face, and Dumbledore shook it, muttering words Harry couldn't hear. He seemed to be making some inquiry of the stranger, who shook his head unsmilingly and replied in an undertone. Dumbledore nodded and gestured the man to the empty seat on his right-hand side.**

**The stranger sat down, shook his mane of dark gray hair out of his face, pulled a plate of sausages toward him, raised it to what was left of his nose, and sniffed it. He then took a small knife out of his pocket, speared a sausage on the end of it, and began to eat. His normal eye was fixed upon the sausages, but the blue eye was still darting restlessly around in its socket, taking in the Hall and the students.**

**"May I introduce our new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?" said Dumbledore brightly into the silence. "Professor Moody."**

**It was usual for new staff members to be greeted with applause, but none of the staff or students chapped except Dumbledore and Hagrid, who both put their hands together and applauded, but the sound echoed dismally into the silence, and they stopped fairly quickly. Everyone else seemed too transfixed by Moody's bizarre appearance to do more than stare at him.**

**"Moody?" Harry muttered to Ron. "Mad-Eye Moody? The one your dad went to help this morning?"**

**"Must be," said Ron in a low, awed voice.**

**"What happened to him?" Hermione whispered. "What happened to his face?"**

**"Dunno," Ron whispered back, watching Moody with fascination.**

**Moody seemed totally indifferent to his less-than-warm welcome. Ignoring the jug of pumpkin juice in front of him, he reached again into his traveling cloak, pulled out a hip flask, and took a long draught from it. **

Sirius whined and a dog-bowl of what appeared to be butter beer appeared in front him, which he lapped up happily.

"Why can't you act like a normal person?" Lily asked.

"Because Sirius isn't normal." Remus said.

Sirius growled at him without looking up from his bowl, which said 'Padfoot' on the side.

**As he lifted his arm to drink, his cloak was pulled a few inches from the ground, and Harry saw, below the table, several inches of carved wooden leg, ending in a clawed foot.**

**Dumbledore cleared his throat.**

**"As I was saying," he said, smiling at the sea of students before him, all of whom were still gazing transfixed at Mad-Eye Moody, "we are to have the honor of hosting a very exciting event over the coming months, an event that has not been held for over a century. It is my very great pleasure to inform you that the Triwizard Tournament will be taking place at Hogwarts this year."**

Sirius yipped happily, spilling some of the butter beer on the floor.

**"You're JOKING!" said Fred Weasley loudly**.

Everyone laughed and Sirius made a noise that sounded like a snicker.

**The tension that had filled the Hall ever since Moody's arrival suddenly broke. Nearly everyone laughed, and Dumbledore chuckled appreciatively.**

**"I am not joking, Mr. Weasley," he said, "though now that you mention it, I did hear an excellent one over the summer about a troll, a hag, and a leprechaun who all go into a bar."**

**Professor McGonagall cleared her throat loudly.**

**"Er - but maybe this is not the time…no…"**

Sirius whined and James moaned, "Minnie ruins all the fun."

** said Dumbledore, "where was I? Ah yes, the Triwizard Tournament…well, some of you will not know what this tournament involves, so I hope those who do know will forgive me for giving a short explanation, and allow their attention to wander freely.**

**"The Triwizard Tournament was first established some seven hundred years ago as a friendly competition between the three largest European schools of wizardry: Hogwarts, Beauxbatons, and Durmstrang. A champion was selected to represent each school, and the three champions competed in three magical tasks. The schools took it in turns to host the tournament once every five years, and it was generally agreed to be a most excellent way of establishing ties between young witches and wizards of different nationalities - until, that is, the death toll mounted so high that the tournament was discontinued."**

**"Death toll?" Hermione whispered, looking alarmed. But her anxiety did not seem to be shared by the majority of students in the Hall; many of them were whispering excitedly to one another, and Harry himself was far more interested in hearing about the tournament than in worrying about deaths that had happened hundreds of years ago.**

Lily glared at him but he was, once again, unaffected.

"That is so not fair." Lily said to him.

Harry shrugged.

"Like this, Lily." Ginny said pleasantly, glaring at Harry.

"Ginny." he moaned, wincing away from her.

Lily laughed and took in Ginny's features.

**"There have been several attempts over the centuries to reinstate the tournament," Dumbledore continued, "none of which has been very successful. However, our own departments of International Magical Cooperation and Magical Games and Sports have decided the time is ripe for another attempt. We have worked hard over the summer to ensure that this time, no champion will find himself or herself in mortal danger.**

Ginny muttered, "Yeah, right," under her breath, thinking how Harry and Cedric had had to face _Voldemort._

**"The heads of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving with their short-listed contenders in October, and the selection of the three champions will take place at Halloween. **A/N What a coincidence! **An impartial judge will decide which students are most worthy to compete for the Triwizard Cup, the glory of their school, and a thousand Galleons personal prize money."**

**"I'm going for it!" Fred Weasley hissed down the table, his face lit with enthusiasm at the prospect of such glory and riches. He was not the only person who seemed to be visualizing himself as the Hogwarts champion. At every House table, Harry could see people either gazing raptly at Dumbledore, or else whispering fervently to their neighbors. But then Dumbledore spoke again, and the Hall quieted once more.**

**"Eager though I know all of you will be to bring the Triwizard Cup to Hogwarts," he said, "the heads of the participating schools, along with the Ministry of Magic, have agreed to impose an age restriction on contenders this year. Only students who are of age - that is to say, seventeen years or older **

Lily looked relived.

**- will be allowed to put forward their names for consideration. This" — Dumbledore raised his voice slightly, for several people had made noises of outrage at these words, and the Weasley twins were suddenly looking furious - "is a measure we feel is necessary, given that the tournament tasks will still be difficult and dangerous, whatever precautions we take, and it is highly unlikely that students below sixth and seventh year will be able to cope with them. I will personally be ensuring that no underage student hoodwinks our impartial judge into making them Hogwarts champion." His light blue eyes twinkled as they flickered over Fred's and George's mutinous faces. "I therefore beg you not to waste your time submitting yourself if you are under seventeen.**

**"The delegations from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang will be arriving in October and remaining with us for the greater part of this year. I know that you will all extend every courtesy to our foreign guests while they are with us, and will give your whole-hearted support to the Hogwarts champion when he or she is selected. And now, it is late, and I know how important it is to you all to be alert and rested as you enter your lessons tomorrow morning. Bedtime! Chop chop!"**

**Dumbledore sat down again and turned to talk to Mad-Eye Moody. There was a great scraping and banging as all the students got to their feet and swarmed toward the double doors into the entrance hall.**

**"They can't do that!" said George Weasley, who had not joined the crowd moving toward the door, but was standing up and glaring at Dumbledore. "We're seventeen in April, **

"What day in April?" James asked Ron and Ginny.

"The first." they answered.

Sirius did his doggy-snicker again as James and the others that didn't know laughed.

**why can't we have a shot?"**

**"They're not stopping me entering," said Fred stubbornly, also scowling at the top table. "The champions'll get to do all sorts of stuff you'd never be allowed to do normally. And a thousand Galleons prize money!"**

**"Yeah," said Ron, a faraway look on his face. "Yeah, a thousand Galleons…"**

**"Come on," said Hermione, "we'll be the only ones left here if you don't move."**

**Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, and George set off for the entrance hall, Fred and George debating the ways in which Dumbledore might stop those who were under seventeen from entering the tournament.**

**"Who's this impartial judge who's going to decide who the champions are?" said Harry.**

**"Dunno," said Fred, "but it's them we'll have to fool. I reckon a couple of drops of Aging Potion might do it, George…"**

**"Dumbledore knows you're not of age, though," said Ron.**

**"Yeah, but he's not the one who decides who the champion is, is he?" said Fred shrewdly. "Sounds to me like once this judge knows who wants to enter, he'll choose the best from each school and never mind how old they are. Dumbledore's trying to stop us giving our names."**

**"People have died, though!" said Hermione in a worried voice as they walked through a door concealed behind a tapestry and started up another, narrower staircase.**

**"Yeah," said Fred airily, "but that was years ago, wasn't it? Anyway, where's the fun without a bit of risk?**

Sirius barked a few times in agreement and James and Peter shouted, "Hear, hear."

** Hey, Ron, what if we find out how to get 'round Dumbledore? Fancy entering?"**

**"What d'you reckon?" Ron asked Harry. "Be cool to enter, wouldn't it? But I s'pose they might want someone older…Dunno if we've learned enough…"**

**"I definitely haven't," came Neville's gloomy voice from behind Fred and George. "I expect my gran'd want me to try, though. She's always going on about how I should be upholding the family honor. I'll just have to — oops…"**

**Neville's foot had sunk right through a step halfway up the staircase. There were many of these trick stairs at Hogwarts; it was second nature to most of the older students to jump this particular step, but Neville's memory was notoriously poor. Harry and Ron seized him under the armpits and pulled him out, while a suit of armor at the top of the stairs creaked and clanked, laughing wheezily.**

**"Shut it, you," said Ron, banging down its visor as they passed. They made their way up to the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, which was concealed behind a large portrait of a fat lady in a pink silk dress.**

**"Password?" she said as they approached.**

**"Balderdash," said George, "a prefect downstairs told me."**

**The portrait swung forward to reveal a hole in the wall through which they all climbed. A crackling fire warmed the circular common room, which was full of squashy armchairs and tables.**

**Hermione cast the merrily dancing flames a dark look, and Harry distinctly heard her mutter "Slave labor"**

Doggy-snickers and normal ones were heard from a few occupants.

** before bidding them good night and disappearing through the doorway to the girls' dormitory.**

**Harry, Ron, and Neville climbed up the last, spiral staircase until they reached their own dormitory, which was situated at the top of the tower. Five four-poster beds with deep crimson hangings stood against the walls, each with its owner's trunk at the foot. Dean and Seamus were already getting into bed; Seamus had pinned his Ireland rosette to his headboard, and Dean had tacked up a poster of Viktor Krum over his bedside table. His old poster of the West Ham football team was pinned right next to it.**

**"Mental," Ron sighed, shaking his head at the completely stationary soccer players.**

**Harry, Ron, and Neville got into their pajamas and into bed. Someone- a house-elf, no doubt - had placed warming pans between the sheets. It was extremely comfortable, lying there in bed and listening to the storm raging outside.**

**"I might go in for it, you know," Ron said sleepily through the darkness, "if Fred and George find out how to…the tournament…you never know, do you?"**

**"S'pose not…"**

**Harry rolled over in bed, a series of dazzling new pictures forming in his mind's eye…**

Harry blushed again as he remembered everything and gave Ginny an apologetic look.

**He had hoodwinked the impartial judge into believing he was seventeen…he had become Hogwarts champion…he was standing on the grounds, his arms raised in triumph in front of the whole school, all of whom were applauding and screaming…he had just won the Triwizard Tournament. Cho's face stood out particularly clearly in the blurred crowd, her face glowing with admiration…Harry grinned into his pillow, exceptionally glad that Ron couldn't see what he could.**

Harry smiled sheepishly at Ron, who smiled back, and blushed when James and Sirius laughed. Ginny glared at them and they immediately shut up. Harry gave her a thankful look.

"Can I read?" Ginny asked, glare gone.

"Sure-I mean, if it's all right with Lily."

"It's fine, I'll read next." Lily said.

Sirius whined and nudged his bowl.

"Oh yeah, we have to go eat first."

Return to Top


	14. MadEye Moody

**CHAPTER THIRTEEN**

**MAD-EYE MOODY**

"Bet he's going to be an interesting teacher." James muttered.

"That's one word for it." Ginny agreed.

**The storm had blown itself out by the following morning, though the ceiling in the Great Hall was still gloomy; heavy clouds of pewter gray swirled overhead as Harry, Ron, and Hermione examined their new course schedules at breakfast. A few seats along, Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were discussing magical methods of aging themselves and bluffing their way into the Triwizard Tournament.**

"It won't work." Sirius said.

James gave him a shocked look, "There's always a way, mate."

"Whatever."

**"Today's not bad…outside all morning," **

"Still cloudy though."

**said Ron, who was running his finger down the Monday column of his schedule. "Herbology with the Hufflepuffs and Care of Magical Creatures…damn it, we're still with the Slytherins…"**

Ginny gave them a look that mingled pity and mocking.

Ron huffed and the others gave them a confused look.

"Ginny's only had a few classes with the Slytherians her entire time at Hogwarts," Hermione explained.

"Lucky." Sirius said, "We've had Ol' Snivelly in at least one of our classes every year."

Lily gave him a disproving look and he grinned (not at all sheepish) at her.

**"Double Divination this afternoon,"**

James groaned.

** Harry groaned,**

The two nearly identical Potters exchanged a glance before laughing and were joined shortly by everyone else.

** looking down. Divination was his least favorite subject,**

Sirius raised his eyebrows, thinking about Potions.

"Wait." Ginny demanded, reading a few words ahead.

** apart from Potions. **

Sirius sighed in relief.

**Professor Trelawney kept predicting Harry's death, which he found extremely annoying.**

**"You should have given it up like me, shouldn't you?" **

"Well, you did a bit more than 'give it up', Hermione." James said, smirking.

**said Hermione briskly, buttering herself some toast. "Then you'd be doing something sensible like Arithmancy."**

**"You're eating again, I notice," said Ron, watching Hermione adding liberal amounts of jam to her toast too.**

**"I've decided there are better ways of making a stand about elf rights," said Hermione haughtily.**

**"Yeah…and you were hungry," said Ron, grinning.**

**There was a sudden rustling noise above them, and a hundred owls came soaring through the open windows carrying the morning mail. **

Sirius leaned in to Ginny eagerly, hoping there was one from him.

**Instinctively, Harry looked up, but there was no sign of white among the mass of brown and gray.**

Sirius whimpered in a way that, if the others weren't watching him, they would think he was in his animagus.

** The owls circled the tables, looking for the people to whom their letters and packages were addressed. A large tawny owl soared down to Neville Longbottom and deposited a parcel into his lap - Neville almost alway forgot to pack something. On the other side of the Hall Draco Malfoy's eagle owl had landed on his shoulder, carrying what looked like his usual supply of sweets and cakes from home. Trying to ignore the sinking feeling of disappointment in his stomach, Harry returned to his porridge. Was it possible that something had happened to Hedwig, and that Sirius hadn't even got his letter?**

Sirius frowned and James patted him on the back.

**His preoccupation lasted all the way across the sodden vegetable patch until they arrived in greenhouse three, but here he was distracted by Professor Sprout showing the class the ugliest plants Harry had ever seen. Indeed, they looked less like plants than thick, black, giant slugs, protruding vertically out of the soil. Each was squirming slightly and had a number of large, shiny swellings upon it, which appeared to be full of liquid.**

**"Bubotubers,"**

Lily groaned, "I hated that lesson."

"Wonder why..?" Remus asked, looking pointedly at James and Sirius.

"We didn't _mean _to get the pus all over the place." James said defensively.

"Just on dear Snivelus," Sirius muttered.

** Professor Sprout told them briskly. "They need squeezing. You will collect the pus -"**

**"The what?" said Seamus Finnigan, sounding revolted.**

**"Pus, Finnigan, pus," said Professor Sprout, "and it's extremely valuable, so don't waste it. You will collect the pus, I say, in these bottles. Wear your dragon-hide gloves; it can do funny things to the skin when undiluted, bubotuber pus." Squeezing the bubotubers was disgusting, but oddly satisfying. As each swelling was popped, a large amount of thick yellowish-green liquid burst forth, which smelled strongly of petrol. They caught it in the bottles as Professor Sprout had indicated, and by the end of the lesson had collected several pints.**

**"This'll keep Madam Pomfrey happy," said Professor Sprout, stoppering the last bottle with a cork. "An excellent remedy for the more stubborn forms of acne, bubotuber pus. Should stop students resorting to desperate measures to rid themselves of pimples."**

**"Like poor Eloise Midgen," said Hannah Abbott, a Hufflepuff, in a hushed voice. "She tried to curse hers off."**

**"Silly girl," said Professor Sprout, shaking her head. "But Madam Pomfrey fixed her nose back on in the end."**

"Hmm..." James said, imagine a greasy-haired Snape without his hooked nose.

Sirius was thinking along the same lines and wrote it down on his prank list. (after finding it on the cluttered table)

**A booming bell echoed from the castle across the wet grounds, signaling the ed of the lesson, and the class separated; the Hufflepuffs climbing the stone steps for Transfiguration, and the Gryffindors heading in the other direction, down the sloping lawn toward Hagrid's small wooden cabin, which stood on the edge of the Forbidden Forest.**

**Hagrid was standing outside his hut, one hand on the collar of his enormous black boarhound, Fang. There were several open wooden crates on the ground at his feet, and Fang was whimpering and straining at his collar, apparently keen to investigate the contents more closely. As they drew nearer, an odd rattling noise reached their ears, punctuated by what sounded like minor explosions.**

**"Mornin'!" Hagrid said, grinning at Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Be'er wait fer the Slytherins, they won' want ter miss this - Blast-Ended Skrewts!"**

Lily grimaced and James and Sirius exchanged a glance as they remembered the same thing.

**"Come again?" said Ron.**

**Hagrid pointed down into the crates.**

**"Eurgh!" **

"That pretty much sums them up, all right." Lily muttered.

**squealed Lavender Brown, jumping backward. "Eurgh" just about summed up the Blast-Ended Skrewts in Harry's opinion. They looked like deformed, shell-less lobsters, horribly pale and slimy-looking, with legs sticking out in very odd places and no visible heads. There were about a hundred of them in each crate, each about six inches long, crawling over one another, bumping blindly into the sides of the boxes. They were giving off a very powerful smell of rotting fish. Every now and then, sparks would fly out of the end of a skrewt, and with a small phut, it would be propelled forward several inches.**

**"On'y jus' hatched," said Hagrid proudly, "so yeh'll be able ter raise 'em yerselves! Thought we'd make a bit of a project of it!"**

"Oh, yay!" James said sarcastically.

**"And why would we want to raise them?" said a cold voice.**

"Malfoy," Sirius growled. He looked around for a moment and snatched up a piece of parchment and a quill. James leaned over and watched him.

He was sketching a family tree.

"Eurgh, that scum is my 2nd cousin."

"Are you related to _every_ death eater?" Ginny asked, politely as she could.

"Just about, sadly."

**The Slytherins had arrived. The speaker was Draco Malfoy. Crabbe and Goyle were chuckling appreciatively at his words.**

**Hagrid looked stumped at the question.**

**"I mean, what do they do?" asked Malfoy. "What is the point of them?"**

**Hagrid opened his mouth, apparently thinking hard; there was a few seconds' pause, then he said roughly, "Tha's next lesson, Malfoy. Yer jus' feedin' 'em today. Now, yeh'll wan' ter try 'em on a few diff'rent things - I've never had 'em before, not sure what they'll go fer - I got ant eggs an' frog livers an' a bit o' grass snake - just try 'em out with a bit of each."**

**"First pus and now this," muttered Seamus.**

The five people from the past gave the others sympathetic looks.

**Nothing but deep affection for Hagrid could have made Harry, Ron, and Hermione pick up squelchy handfuls of frog liver and lower them into the crates to tempt the Blast-Ended Skrewts. Harry couldn't suppress the suspicion that the whole thing was entirely pointless, because the skrewts didn't seem to have mouths.**

**"Ouch!" yelled Dean Thomas after about ten minutes. "It got me."**

**Hagrid hurried over to him, looking anxious.**

**"Its end exploded!" said Dean angrily, showing Hagrid a burn on his hand.**

**"Ah, yeah, that can happen when they blast off," said Hagrid, nodding.**

Sirius had a sudden thought of a rocket that looked like a skrewt and laughed.

"What?"

Sirius just shook his head and grinned.

**"Eurgh!" said Lavender Brown again. "Eurgh, Hagrid, what's that pointy thing on it?"**

**"Ah, some of 'em have got stings," said Hagrid enthusiastically (Lavender quickly withdrew her hand from the box). "I reckon they're the males…The females've got sorta sucker things on their bellies…I think they might be ter suck blood."**

Sirius resisted the urge to say anything but the struggle must've shown on his face, because Lily glared at him.

**"Well, I can certainly see why we're trying to keep them alive," said Malfoy sarcastically. "Who wouldn't want pets that can burn, sting, and bite all at once?"**

**"Just because they're not very pretty, it doesn't mean they're not useful," Hermione snapped. "Dragon blood's amazingly magical, but you wouldn't want a dragon for a pet, would you?"**

"Well...", Sirius said.

"No." Remus said sternly.

"Aw...come on! How cool would that be? You wouldn't ever have to worry about robbers!"

"-Or getting you're mail. I doubt owls would like a dragon."

Sirius huffed.

**Harry and Ron grinned at Hagrid, who gave them a furtive smile from behind his bushy beard. Hagrid would have liked nothing better than a pet dragon, as Harry, Ron, and Hermione knew only too well - he had owned one for a brief period during their first year, a vicious Norwegian Ridgeback by the name of Norbert. Hagrid simply loved monstrous creatures, the more lethal, the better.**

**"Well, at least the skrewts are small,"**

"Yeah, for now." Harry muttered.

** said Ron as they made their way back up to the castle for lunch an hour later.**

**"They are now," said Hermione in an exasperated voice, "but once Hagrid's found out what they eat, I expect they'll be six feet long."**

**"Well, that won't matter if they turn out to cure seasickness or something, will it?" said Ron, grinning slyly at her.**

**"You know perfectly well I only said that to shut Malfoy up," said Hermione. "As a matter of fact I think he's right. The best thing to do would be to stamp on the lot of them before they start attacking us all."**

**They sat down at the Gryffindor table and helped themselves to lamb chops and potatoes. **

Sirius moaned.

"You just ate!" Lily cried.

"So?"

"You clearly don't know Sirius very well." James laughed.

**Hermione began to eat so fast that Harry and Ron stared at her.**

**"Er - is this the new stand on elf rights?" said Ron. "You're going to make yourself puke instead?"**

**"No," said Hermione, with as much dignity as she could muster with her mouth bulging with sprouts. "I just want to get to the library."**

**"What?" said Ron in disbelief. "Hermione - it's the first day back! We haven't even got homework yet!"**

James and Sirius gave Hermione an exasperated look and then gave Remus a grin.

"Oh, shut up." he sighed, "Please."

"Alright," James said, "for you, Moony."

**Hermione shrugged and continued to shovel down her food as though she had not eaten for days. Then she leapt to her feet, said, "See you at dinner!" and departed at high speed.**

**When the bell rang to signal the start of afternoon lessons, Harry and Ron set off for North Tower where, at the top of a tightly spiraling staircase, a silver stepladder led to a circular trapdoor in the ceiling, and the room where Professor Trelawney lived.**

"I hate divination." Ron muttered.

**The familiar sweet perfume spreading from the fire met their nostrils as they emerged at the top of the stepladder. As ever, the curtains were all closed; the circular room was bathed in a dim reddish light cast by the many lamps, which were all draped with scarves and shawls. Harry and Ron walked through the mass of occupied chintz chairs and poufs that cluttered the room, and sat down at the same small circular table.**

**"Good day," said the misty voice of Professor Trelawney right behind Harry, making him jump.**

**A very thin woman with enormous glasses that made her eyes appear far too large for her face, Professor Trelawney was peering down at Harry with the tragic expression she always wore whenever she saw him. The usual large amount of beads, chains, and bangles glittered upon her person in the firelight.**

**"You are preoccupied, my dear," she said mournfully to Harry. "My inner eye sees past your brave face to the troubled soul within. And I regret to say that your worries are not baseless. I see difficult times ahead for you, alas…most difficult…I fear the thing you dread will indeed come to pass…and perhaps sooner than you think…"**

Harry thought glumly how she was right and sighed.

**Her voice dropped almost to a whisper. Ron rolled his eyes at Harry, who looked stonily back. Professor Trelawney swept past them and seated herself in a large winged armchair before the fire, facing the class. Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil, who deeply admired Professor Trelawney, were sitting on poufs very close to her.**

**"My dears, it is time for us to consider the stars," she said. "The movements of the planets and the mysterious portents they reveal only to those who understand the steps of the celestial dance. Human destiny may be deciphered by the planetary rays, which intermingle…"**

**But Harry's thoughts had drifted. The perfumed fire always made him feel sleepy and dull-witted, and Professor Trelawney's rambling talks on fortune-telling never held him exactly spellbound - though he couldn't help thinking about what she had just said to him. 'I fear the thing you dread will indeed come to pass…'**

**But Hermione was right, Harry thought irritably, Professor Trelawney really was an old fraud. He wasn't dreading anything at the moment at all…well, unless you counted his fears that Sirius had been caught…**

"It's alright, Harry," Sirius reassured, "I won't get caught."

"Yeah, Pads and I are pros at not getting caught."

Remus laughed, "Sure you were, until McGonagal caught on. Then you were blamed for-"

"EVERYTHING!" James and Sirius moaned.

**but what did Professor Trelawney know? He had long since come to the conclusion that her brand of fortunetelling was really no more than lucky guesswork and a spooky manner.**

**Except, of course, for that time at the end of last term, when she had made the prediction about Voldemort rising again…and Dumbledore himself had said that he thought that trance had been genuine, when Harry had described it to him.**

**"Harry!" Ron muttered.**

**"What?"**

**Harry looked around; the whole class was staring at him. He sat up straight; he had been almost dozing off, lost in the heat and his thoughts.**

**"I was saying, my dear, that you were clearly born under the baleful influence of Saturn," **

Remus and Lily laughed, being the only ones that remembered what that meant.

**said Professor Trelawney, a faint note of resentment in her voice at the fact that he had obviously not been hanging on her words.**

**"Born under - what, sorry?" said Harry.**

**"Saturn, dear, the planet Saturn!" said Professor Trelawney, sounding definitely irritated that he wasn't riveted by this news. "I was saying that Saturn was surely in a position of power in the heavens at the moment of your birth…Your dark hair…your mean stature…tragic losses so young in life…I think I am right in saying, my dear, that you were born in midwinter?"**

Everyone laughed now.

**"No," said Harry, "I was born in July."**

**Ron hastily turned his laugh into a hacking cough.**

**Half an hour later, each of them had been given a complicated circular chart, and was attempting to fill in the position of the planets at their moment of birth. It was dull work, requiring much consultation of timetables and calculation of angles.**

**"I've got two Neptunes here," said Harry after a while, frowning down at his piece of parchment, "that can't be right, can it?"**

**"Aaaaah," said Ron, imitating Professor Trelawney's mystical whisper, "when two Neptunes appear in the sky, it is a sure sign that a midget in glasses is being born, Harry…"**

**Seamus and Dean, who were working nearby, sniggered loudly, though not loudly enough to mask the excited squeals from Lavender Brown - "Oh Professor, look! I think I've got an unaspected planet! Oooh, which one's that, Professor?"**

**"It is Uranus, my dear," said Professor Trelawney, peering down at the chart.**

**"Can I have a look at Uranus too, Lavender?" said Ron.**

**Most unfortunately, Professor Trelawney heard him, and it was this, perhaps, that made her give them so much homework at the end of the class.**

**"A detailed analysis of the way the planetary movements in the coming month will affect you, with reference to your personal chart," she snapped, sounding much more like Professor McGonagall than her usual airy-fairy self. "I want it ready to hand in next Monday, and no excuses!"**

Sirius muttered something darkly under his breath.

**"Miserable old bat," said Ron bitterly as they joined the crowds descending the staircases back to the Great Hall and dinner. "That'll take all weekend, that will…"**

**"Lots of homework?" said Hermione brightly, catching up with them. "Professor Vector didn't give us any at all!"**

**"Well, bully for Professor Vector," said Ron moodily.**

**They reached the entrance hall, which was packed with people queuing for dinner. They had just joined the end of the line, when a loud voice rang out behind them.**

**"Weasley! Hey, Weasley!"**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione turned. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing there,**

"Can't he _not _bother you for one day?" James groaned

** each looking thoroughly pleased about something.**

**"What?" said Ron shortly.**

**"Your dad's in the paper, Weasley!" said Malfoy, brandishing a copy of the _Daily Prophet _and speaking very loudly, so that everyone in the packed entrance hall could hear. "Listen to this!"**

**_FURTHER MISTAKES AT THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC _**

**_It seems as though the Ministry of Magic's troubles are not yet at an end, writes Rita Skeeter,_**

"Eurgh." Remus said, clearly thinking Skeeter was as bad as the skrewts.

**_ Special Correspondent. Recently under fire for its poor crowd control at the Quidditch World Cup, and still unable to account for the disappearance of one of its witches, the Ministry was plunged into fresh embarrassment yesterday by the antics of Arnold Weasley, _**

"Couldn't she at least get his name right?" Hermione muttered.

**_of the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office." _**

**Malfoy looked up.**

**"Imagine them not even getting his name right, Weasley. It's almost as though he's a complete nonentity, isn't it?" he crowed.**

**Everyone in the entrance hall was listening now. Malfoy straightened the paper with a flourish and read on:**

**_Arnold Weasley, who was charged with possession of a flying car two years ago, was yesterday involved in a tussle with several Muggle law-keepers ("policemen") over a number of highly aggressive dustbins. Mr. Weasley appears to have rushed to the aid of "Mad-Eye" Moody, the aged ex-Auror who retired from the Ministry when no longer able to tell the difference between a handshake and attempted murder. Unsurprisingly, Mr. Weasley found, upon arrival at Mr. Moody's heavily guarded house, that Mr. Moody had once again raised a false alarm. Mr. Weasley was forced to modify several memories before he could escape from the policemen, but refused to answer Daily Prophet questions about why he had involved the Ministry in such an undignified and potentially embarrassing scene. _**

**"And there's a picture, Weasley!" said Malfoy, flipping the paper over and holding it up. "A picture of your parents outside their house - if you can call it a house! Your mother could do with losing a bit of weight, couldn't she?"**

**Ron was shaking with fury. Everyone was staring at him.**

**"Get stuffed, Malfoy," said Harry. "C'mon, Ron…"**

**"Oh yeah, you were staying with them this summer, weren't you, Potter?" sneered Malfoy. "So tell me, is his mother really that porky, or is it just the picture?"**

Everyone was glaring at the book by now; Sirius was searching frantically for his lists, to angry to think of just wishing them up.

**"You know your mother, Malfoy?" said Harry - both he and Hermione had grabbed the back of Ron's robes to stop him from launching himself at Malfoy - "that expression she's got, like she's got dung under her nose? Has she always looked like that, or was it just because you were with her?"**

James high-fived Harry and Sirius gave him a proud look.

**Malfoy's pale face went slightly pink.**

**"Don't you dare insult my mother, Potter."**

**"Keep your fat mouth shut, then," said Harry, turning away.**

**BANG!**

**Several people screamed - Harry felt something white-hot graze the side of his face - he plunged his hand into his robes for his wand, but before he'd even touched it, he heard a second loud BANG, and a roar that echoed through the entrance hall.**

**"OH NO YOU DON'T, LADDIE!"**

**Harry spun around. Professor Moody was limping down the marble staircase. His wand was out and it was pointing right at a pure white ferret, which was shivering on the stone-flagged floor, exactly where Malfoy had been standing. **

James and Sirius cheered and the others grinned. Harry wished up a picture of the event and began passing it around.

Once everyone gained control of themselves Ginny went on.

**There was a terrified silence in the entrance hall. Nobody but Moody was moving a muscle. Moody turned to look at Harry — at least, his normal eye was looking at Harry; the other one was pointing into the back of his head.**

**"Did he get you?" Moody growled. His voice was low and gravelly.**

**"No," said Harry, "missed."**

**"LEAVE IT!" Moody shouted.**

**"Leave - what?" Harry said, bewildered.**

**"Not you - him!" Moody growled, jerking his thumb over his shoulder at Crabbe, who had just frozen, about to pick up the white ferret. It seemed that Moody's rolling eye was magical and could see out of the back of his head.**

"I'm not sure whether to say that's cool or gross." Sirius muttered.

A few people laughed and nodded in agreement.

**Moody started to limp toward Crabbe, Goyle, and the ferret, which gave a terrified squeak and took off, streaking toward the dungeons.**

**"I don't think so!" roared Moody, pointing his wand at the ferret again - it flew ten feet into the air, fell with a smack to the floor, and then bounced upward once more.**

Sirius jotted something down on his list and handed it to James.

He laughed, "Definatly."

"What?" Lily asked.

James relunctately handed it to her and she laughed.

_Turn Snape into a Black Ferret. _

"Can I help?" Lily asked.

"Of course!" Sirius shouted, delighted.

**"I don't like people who attack when their opponent's back's turned," growled Moody as the ferret bounced higher and higher, squealing in pain. "Stinking, cowardly, scummy thing to do…"**

**The ferret flew through the air, its legs and tail flailing helplessly. "Never - do - that - again -" said Moody, speaking each word as the ferret hit the stone floor and bounced upward again.**

**"Professor Moody!" said a shocked voice.**

**Professor McGonagall **

"-Is here to ruin the fun." Sirius finished the sentence.

**was coming down the marble staircase with her arms full of books.**

**"Hello, Professor McGonagall," said Moody calmly, bouncing the ferret still higher.**

**"What - what are you doing?" said Professor McGonagall, her eyes following the bouncing ferret's progress through the air.**

**"Teaching," said Moody.**

**"Teach - Moody, is that a student?" shrieked Professor McGonagall, the books spilling out of her arms.**

**"Yep," said Moody.**

**"No!" cried Professor McGonagall, running down the stairs and pulling out her wand; a moment later, with a loud snapping noise, Draco Malfoy had reappeared, lying in a heap on the floor with his sleek blond hair all over his now brilliantly pink face. He got to his feet, wincing.**

**"Moody, we never use Transfiguration as a punishment!" said Professor McGonagall wealdy. "Surely Professor Dumbledore told you that?"**

**"He might've mentioned it, yeah," said Moody, scratching his chin unconcernedly, "but I thought a good sharp shock -"**

**"We give detentions, Moody! Or speak to the offender's Head of House!"**

**"I'll do that, then," said Moody, staring at Malfoy with great dislike.**

**Malfoy, whose pale eyes were still watering with pain and humiliation, looked malevolently up at Moody and muttered something in which the words "my father" were distinguishable.**

**"Oh yeah?" said Moody quietly, limping forward a few steps, the dull clunk of his wooden leg echoing around the hall. "Well, I know your father of old, boy…You tell him Moody's keeping a close eye on his son… you tell him that from me…Now, your Head of House'll be Snape, will it?"**

**"Yes," said Malfoy resentfully.**

**"Another old friend," growled Moody.**

"Is the growl a good or bad thing? Or he is just talking?" Sirius asked, confused by the way it described Moody's talking.

** "I've been looking forward to a chat with old Snape…Come on, you…"**

**And he seized Malfoy's upper arm and marched him off toward the dungeons.**

**Professor McGonagall stared anxiously after them for a few moments, then waved her wand at her fallen books, causing them to soar up into the air and back into her arms.**

**"Don't talk to me," Ron said **

"Why?"

Ron, Hermione and Harry grinned, "You'll see."

**quietly to Harry and Hermione as they sat down at the Gryffindor table a few minutes later, surrounded by excited talk on all sides about what had just happened.**

**"Why not?" said Hermione in surprise.**

**"Because I want to fix that in my memory forever," said Ron, his eyes closed and an uplifted expression on his face. "Draco Malfoy, the amazing bouncing ferret."**

The others laughed along with the trio.

**Harry and Hermione both laughed, and Hermione began doling beef casserole onto each of their plates.**

**"He could have really hurt Malfoy, though," she said. "It was good, really, that Professor McGonagall stopped it -"**

"_Hermione_." James and Sirius groaned.

**"Hermione!" said Ron furiously, his eyes snapping open again, "you're ruining the best moment of my life!"**

**Hermione made an impatient noise and began to eat at top speed again.**

**"Don't tell me you're going back to the library this evening?" said Harry, watching her.**

**"Got to," said Hermione thickly. "Loads to do."**

**"But you told us Professor Vector -"**

**"It's not schoolwork," she said. Within five minutes, she had cleared her plate and departed. No sooner had she gone than her seat was taken by Fred Weasley.**

**"Moody!" he said. "How cool is he?"**

**"Beyond cool," said George, sitting down opposite Fred. "Supercool," said the twins' best friend, Lee Jordan, sliding into the seat beside George. "We had him this afternoon," he told Harry and Ron.**

**"What was it like?" said Harry eagerly.**

**Fred, George, and Lee exchanged looks full of meaning.**

**"Never had a lesson like it," said Fred.**

**"He knows, man," said Lee.**

**"Knows what?" said Ron, leaning forward.**

**"Knows what it's like to be out there doing it," said George impressively.**

**"Doing what?" said Harry.**

**"Fighting the Dark Arts," said Fred.**

**"He's seen it all," said George.**

**"'Mazing," said Lee.**

**Ron dived into his bag for his schedule.**

**"We haven't got him till Thursday!" he said in a disappointed voice.**

Sirius and James groaned and Ginny handed the book to Lily.

**A/N Sorry for the long but I had a new-found inspiration for Marauders and part of this got deleted and it made me mad and I didn't feel like retyping.**

**Oh, I made a mistake but it's kinda to late to change now. After Harry defeated Voldemort he wasn't a pareslemouth anymore because the part of Voldemort that was making that happen got destroyed. So...my mistake but its too late for me to take Seth out. Besides, a lot of you readers like him.**

**ANYWAY! Happy Holidays everyone and please review!  
**


	15. The Unforgivable Curses

**THE UNFORGIVABLE CURSES **

"Please tell me you're learning about them." Lily muttered.

Harry smiled at her extreme worry, "Yeah, in Mad-Eye's class." _Well, impostor Mad-eye's class._

**The next two days passed without great incident, unless you counted Neville melting his sixth cauldron in Potions. Professor Snape, who seemed to have attained new levels of vindictiveness over the summer, gave Neville detention, and Neville returned from it in a state of nervous collapse, having been made to disembowel a barrel full of horned toads. **

They all gave the book pitying looks.

"**You know why Snape's in such a foul mood, don't you?" said Ron to Harry as they watched Hermione teaching Neville a Scouring Charm to remove the toad guts from under his fingernails. **

"**Yeah," said Harry. "Moody." **

"What's Snape got against Moony?" Sirius asked.

"Hasn't he always wanted the Defense Against the Dark Art's job?" Remus asked.

Ginny nodded and read on.

**It was common knowledge that Snape really wanted the Dark Arts job, and he had now failed to get it for the fourth year running. Snape had disliked all of their previous Dark Arts teachers, and shown it - but he seemed strangely wary of displaying overt animosity to Mad-Eye Moody. Indeed, whenever Harry saw the two of them together - at mealtimes, or when they passed in the corridors - he had the distinct impression that Snape was avoiding Moody's eye, whether magical or normal. **

"**I reckon Snape's a bit scared of him, you know," Harry said thoughtfully. **

"**Imagine if Moody turned Snape into a horned toad," said Ron, his eyes misting over, "and bounced him all around his dungeon…" **

James and Sirius laughed and the others all smiled and snickered.

**The Gryffindor fourth years were looking forward to Moody's first lesson so much that they arrived early on Thursday lunchtime and queued up outside his classroom before the bell had even rung. The only person missing was Hermione, who turned up just in time for the lesson. **

"**Been in the -" **

"Library." James, Sirius, Harry, Ginny and Ron all finished for her before exchanging slightly startled looks and laughing.

"**Library." Harry finished her sentence for her.**

"That's just weird." James muttered.

** "C'mon, quick, or we won't get decent seats." **

"It sounds like your going to some kinda of show, not _class_." Sirius said.

Harry looked thoughtful, "In a way we _are_ er-_were_ going to a show."

**They hurried into three chairs right in front of the teacher's desk, took out their copies of ****The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection****, and waited, unusually quiet. Soon they heard Moody's distinctive clunking footsteps coming down the corridor, and he entered the room, looking as strange and frightening as ever. They could just see his clawed, wooden foot protruding from underneath his robes. **

"**You can put those away," he growled, stumping over to his desk and sitting down, "those books. You won't need them." **

"Is it just me, or is someone else noticing a pattern here?" Sirius muttered.

"Huh?" James asked.

"Moony and Mad-eye both started with practical lessons."

"Lockhart did too." Ron said, "Did Quirrell?"

"I don't think so..." Harry muttered, thinking hard.

He picked up a piece of parchment and wrote down, _"Did Snape, Umbridge?_"

He shown the parchment to Ron and Hermione.

_"No."_ Hermione wrote.

"Never mind then." Harry said aloud.

"Why were you asking?" Ron wondered.

Harry began to jot down on the parchment again, _"Quirrell and Snape didn't have a practical lesson and they died at the end of the year. Remus and Crouch both lived and they had practical lessons but it doesn't fit in with Umbridge."_

Ron and Hermione looked at him, stunned.

Harry smiled, "Sirius got me thinking."

"About what?" Sirius asked curiously.

"I can't tell you."

"Why?"

"If I did, you'd find out who the future Defense teachers are."

Lily took the oppratunity to read before Sirius opened his mouth to talk again.

**They returned the books to their bags, Ron looking excited. **

**Moody took out a register, shook his long mane of grizzled gray hair out of his twisted and scarred face, and began to call out names, his normal eye moving steadily down the list while his magical eye swiveled around, fixing upon each student as he or she answered. **

"**Right then," he said, when the last person had declared themselves present, "I've had a letter from Professor Lupin about this class. Seems you've had a pretty thorough grounding in tackling Dark creatures - you've covered boggarts, Red Caps, hinkypunks, grindylows, Kappas, and werewolves, is that right?" **

**There was a general murmur of assent. **

"**But you're behind - very behind - on dealing with curses," said Moody. "So I'm here to bring you up to scratch on what wizards can do to each other. I've got one year to teach you how to deal with Dark -" **

"**What, aren't you staying?" Ron blurted out. **

"Bad move, Ron." James murmured.

**Moody's magical eye spun around to stare at Ron; Ron looked extremely apprehensive, but after a moment Moody smiled - the first time Harry had seen him do so. The effect was to make his heavily scarred face look more twisted and contorted than ever, but it was nevertheless good to know that he ever did anything as friendly as smile. Ron looked deeply relieved. **

"**You'll be Arthur Weasley's son, eh?" Moody said. "Your father got me out of a very tight corner a few days ago…Yeah, I'm staying just the one year. Special favor to Dumbledore…One year, and then back to my quiet retirement." **

**He gave a harsh laugh, and then clapped his gnarled hands together. **

"**So - straight into it. Curses. They come in many strengths and forms. Now, according to the Ministry of Magic, I'm supposed to teach you countercurses and leave it at that. I'm not supposed to show you what illegal Dark curses look like until you're in the sixth year. You're not supposed to be old enough to deal with it till then.**

Harry thought bitterly that Mad-eye was going to teach them anyway.

**But Professor Dumbledore's got a higher opinion of your nerves, he reckons you can cope, and I say, the sooner you know what you're up against, the better. How are you supposed to defend yourself against something you've never seen? A wizard who's about to put an illegal curse on you isn't going to tell you what he's about to do. He's not going to do it nice and polite to your face. You need to be prepared. You need to be alert and watchful. You need to put that away, Miss Brown, when I'm talking." **

Sirius gave the book a slightly startled look at the sudden subject change.

**Lavender jumped and blushed. She had been showing Parvati her completed horoscope under the desk. Apparently Moody's magical eye could see through solid wood, as well as out of the back of his head. **

"**So…do any of you know which curses are most heavily punished by wizarding law?"**

"Yeah, the unforgivable curses." Sirius said glumly.

"The Imperius Curse, the Cruciatus Curse-" James began.

"And Avada Kadavra." Harry finished, having plenty of experiance with that last one.

**Several hands rose tentatively into the air, including Ron's and Hermione's. Moody pointed at Ron, though his magical eye was still fixed on Lavender. **

"**Er," said Ron tentatively, "my dad told me about one…Is it called the Imperius Curse, or something?" **

"**Ah, yes," said Moody appreciatively. "Your father would know that one. Gave the Ministry a lot of trouble at one time, the Imperius Curse." **

**Moody got heavily to his mismatched feet, opened his desk drawer, and took out a glass jar. Three large black spiders were scuttling around inside it. Harry felt Ron recoil slightly next to him - Ron hated spiders. Moody reached into the jar, caught one of the spiders, and held it in the palm of his hand so that they could all see it. He then pointed his wand at it and muttered, "****Imperio!****" **

Sirius, James, Remus and Lily all exchanged glances. _Was Moody going to perform _every _curse? Even Avada Kadavra?_

Peter glanced at them a little cluelessly. **A/N I forgot he was even there XD**

**The spider leapt from Moody's hand on a fine thread of silk and began to swing backward and forward as though on a trapeze. It stretched out its legs rigidly, then did a back flip, breaking the thread and landing on the desk, where it began to cartwheel in circles. Moody jerked his wand, and the spider rose onto two of its hind legs and went into what was unmistakably a tap dance. **

**Everyone was laughing - everyone except Moody. **

"**Think it's funny, do you?" he growled. "You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?" **

**The laughter died away almost instantly. **

Sirius whimpered slightly, he had added to the effect by turning into his animagus.

"**Total control," said Moody quietly as the spider balled itself up and began to roll over and over. "I could make it jump out of the window, drown itself, throw itself down one of your throats…" **

**Ron gave an involuntary shudder. **

"**Years back, there were a lot of witches and wizards being controlled by the Imperius Curse," said Moody, and Harry knew he was talking about the days in which Voldemort had been all-powerful. "Some job for the Ministry, trying to sort out who was being forced to act, and who was acting of their own free will.**

"This is so weird." James said.

"What?" Peter asked.

"What Moody's talking about, that's happening _now_."

"**The Imperius Curse can be fought, and I'll be teaching you how, but it takes real strength of character, and not everyone's got it. Better avoid being hit with it if you can. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he barked, and everyone jumped. **

**Moody picked up the somersaulting spider and threw it back into the jar. **

"**Anyone else know one? Another illegal curse?" **

**Hermione's hand flew into the air again and so, to Harry's slight surprise, did Neville's. The only class in which Neville usually volunteered information was Herbology which was easily his best subject. Neville looked surprised at his own daring. **

"**Yes?" said Moody, his magical eye rolling right over to fix on Neville. **

"**There's one - the Cruciatus Curse," said Neville in a small but distinct voice. **

**Moody was looking very intently at Neville, this time with both eyes. **

"**Your name's Longbottom?" he said, his magical eye swooping down to check the register again.**

"Why's he care?" Peter asked.

Harry sighed, "It might say it later on in the chapter, if not I'll tell you."

**Neville nodded nervously, but Moody made no further inquiries. Turning back to the class at large, he reached into the jar for the next spider and placed it upon the desktop, where it remained motionless, apparently too scared to move. **

"**The Cruciatus Curse," said Moody. "Needs to be a bit bigger for you to get the idea," he said, pointing his wand at the spider. "****Engorgio!****" **

**The spider swelled. It was now larger than a tarantula. Abandoning all pretense, Ron pushed his chair backward, as far away from Moody's desk as possible. Moody raised his wand again, pointed it at the spider, and muttered, "****Crucio!****" **

**At once, the spider's legs bent in upon its body; it rolled over and began to twitch horribly, rocking from side to side. No sound came from it, but Harry was sure that if it could have given voice, it would have been screaming. Moody did not remove his wand, and the spider started to shudder and jerk more violently - "Stop it!" Hermione said shrilly. **

**Harry looked around at her. She was looking, not at the spider, but at Neville, and Harry, following her gaze, saw that Neville's hands were clenched upon the desk in front of him, his knuckles white, his eyes wide and horrified. **

"Bad experiance with the curse?" James asked.

"Yeah, definatly." Harry muttered.

**Moody raised his wand. The spider's legs relaxed, but it continued to twitch. **

"**Reducio****," Moody muttered, and the spider shrank back to its proper size. He put it back into the jar. **

"**Pain," said Moody softly. "You don't need thumbscrews or knives to torture someone if you can perform the Cruciatus Curse…That one was very popular once too. **

"**Right…anyone know any others?" **

**Harry looked around. From the looks on everyone's faces, he guessed they were all wondering what was going to happen to the last spider. Hermione's hand shook slightly as, for the third time, she raised it into the air. **

"**Yes?" said Moody, looking at her. **

"**Avada Kedavra," Hermione whispered. **

**Several people looked uneasily around at her, including Ron. **

"**Ah," said Moody, another slight smile twisting his lopsided mouth. "Yes, the last and worst. Avada Kedavra…the Killing Curse." **

**He put his hand into the glass jar, and almost as though it knew what was coming, the third spider scuttled frantically around the bottom of the jar, trying to evade Moody's fingers, but he trapped it, and placed it upon the desktop. It started to scuttle frantically across the wooden surface. **

**Moody raised his wand, and Harry felt a sudden thrill of foreboding. **

"**Avada Kedavra!****" Moody roared. **

"Poor spider." Lily muttered.

Sirius whimpered again, louder this time.

**There was a flash of blinding green light and a rushing sound, as though a vast, invisible something was soaring through the air - instantaneously the spider rolled over onto its back, unmarked, but unmistakably dead. Several of the students stifled cries; Ron had thrown himself backward and almost toppled off his seat as the spider skidded toward him. **

**Moody swept the dead spider off the desk onto the floor. **

"**Not nice," he said calmly. "Not pleasant. And there's no countercurse. There's no blocking it. Only one known person has ever survived it, and he's sitting right in front of me." **

**Harry felt his face redden as Moody's eyes (both of them) looked into his own.**

"Great." James muttered.

** He could feel everyone else looking around at him too. Harry stared at the blank blackboard as though fascinated by it, but not really seeing it at all… **

**So that was how his parents had died…exactly like that spider.**

James and Lily looked shocked before their expressions changed to sadder ones.

** Had they been unblemished and unmarked too? Had they simply seen the flash of green light and heard the rush of speeding death, before life was wiped from their bodies? **

James hugged Lily tight.

**Harry had been picturing his parents' deaths over and over again for three years now, ever since he'd found out they had been murdered, ever since he'd found out what had happened that night: Wormtail had betrayed his parents' whereabouts**

Peter winced and gave James and Lily _extremly _sorry looks.

** to Voldemort, **

Peter winced again but just slightly.

**who had come to find them at their cottage. How Voldemort had killed Harry's father first.**

James flinched momentarily and Lily stuttered over the next few words.

** How James Potter had tried to hold him off, while he shouted at his wife to take Harry and run…**

Sirius gave James a sad smile, which he returned.

**Voldemort had advanced on Lily Potter, told her to move aside so that he could kill Harry…**

Lily held the book out and Remus took it giving her a worried glance before finding where she left off.

**how she had begged him to kill her instead, refused to stop shielding her son…and so Voldemort had murdered her too, **

Lily was crying silently now, and James looked a bit panicky.

**before turning his wand on Harry. **

**Harry knew these details because he had heard his parents' voices when he had fought the dementors last year - for that was the terrible power of the dementors: to force their victims to relive the worst memories of their lives, and drown, powerless, in their own despair. **

"Good thing Moony taught you to fight them." Sirius told the book.

**Moody was speaking again, from a great distance, it seemed to Harry. With a massive effort, he pulled himself back to the present and listened to what Moody was saying. **

"**Avada Kedavra's a curse that needs a powerful bit of magic behind it- you could all get your wands out now and point them at me and say the words, and I doubt I'd get so much as a nosebleed. But that doesn't matter. I'm not here to teach you how to do it. **

"Because that would be such a good idea." Sirius said sarcastically.

James managed a small smile.

"**Now, if there's no countercurse, why am I showing you? Because you've got to know. You've got to appreciate what the worst is. You don't want to find yourself in a situation where you're facing it. CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" he roared, and the whole class jumped again. **

"**Now…those three curses - Avada Kedavra, Imperius, and Cruciatus - are known as the Unforgivable Curses. The use of any one of them on a fellow human being is enough to earn a life sentence in Azkaban. That's what you're up against. That's what I've got to teach you to fight. You need preparing. You need arming. But most of all, you need to practice constant, never-ceasing vigilance. Get out your quills…copy this down…"**

**They spent the rest of the lesson taking notes on each of the Unforgivable Curses. No one spoke until the bell rang - but when Moody had dismissed them and they had left the classroom, a torrent of talk burst forth. Most people were discussing the curses in awed voices – **

"**Did you see it twitch?" **

"**- and when he killed it – just like that!" **

"_They _sound like they went to a show." Sirius said, amazed because he had founf the lesson horrible.

**They were talking about the lesson, Harry thought, as though it had been some sort of spectacular show, but he hadn't found it very entertaining - and nor, it seemed, had Hermione. **

"**Hurry up," she said tensely to Harry and Ron. **

"**Not the ruddy library again?" said Ron. **

"**No," said Hermione curtly, pointing up a side passage. "Neville." **

"That's nice of you." Lily told Hermione.

**Neville was standing alone, halfway up the passage, staring at the stone wall opposite him with the same horrified, wide-eyed look he had worn when Moody had demonstrated the Cruciatus Curse. **

"**Neville?" Hermione said gently. **

**Neville looked around. **

"**Oh hello," he said, his voice much higher than usual. "Interesting lesson, wasn't it? I wonder what's for dinner, I'm - I'm starving, aren't you?" **

"**Neville, are you all right?" said Hermione. **

"**Oh yes, I'm fine," Neville gabbled in the same unnaturally high voice. "Very interesting dinner - I mean lesson - what's for eating?" **

"So, what's up with him?" Sirius asked Harry.

"At the end of the chapter."

"Fine."

**Ron gave Harry a startled look. **

"**Neville, what -?" **

**But an odd clunking noise sounded behind them, and they turned to see Professor Moody limping toward them. All four of them fell silent, watching him apprehensively, but when he spoke, it was in a much lower and gentler growl than they had yet heard. **

"**It's all right, sonny," he said to Neville. "Why don't you come up to my office? Come on…we can have a cup of tea…" **

**Neville looked even more frightened at the prospect of tea with Moody. **

"I don't blame him." James said.

**He neither moved nor spoke. Moody turned his magical eye upon Harry. **

"**You all right, are you, Potter?" **

"**Yes," said Harry, almost defiantly. **

**Moody's blue eye quivered slightly in its socket as it surveyed Harry. Then he said, "You've got to know. It seems harsh, maybe, but you've got to know. No point pretending…well…come on, Longbottom, I've got some books that might interest you." **

**Neville looked pleadingly at Harry, Ron, and Hermione, but they didn't say anything, so Neville had no choice but to allow himself to be steered away, one of Moody's gnarled hands on his shoulder. **

"**What was that about?" said Ron, watching Neville and Moody turn the corner. **

"**I don't know," said Hermione, looking pensive. **

"**Some lesson, though, eh?" said Ron to Harry as they set off for the Great Hall. "Fred and George were right, weren't they? He really knows his stuff, Moody, doesn't he? When he did Avada Kedavra, the way that spider just died, just snuffed it right -" **

"Good job Ron." Sirius growled sarcastically.

"Sorry." Ron told Harry.

"It's okay."

**But Ron fell suddenly silent at the look on Harry's face and didn't speak again until they reached the Great Hall, when he said he supposed they had better make a start on Professor Trelawney's predictions tonight, since they would take hours. **

**Hermione did not join in with Harry and Ron's conversation during dinner, but ate furiously fast, and then left for the library again. Harry and Ron walked back to Gryffindor Tower, and Harry, who had been thinking of nothing else all through dinner, now raised the subject of the Unforgivable Curses himself. **

"**Wouldn't Moody and Dumbledore be in trouble with the Ministry if they knew we'd seen the curses?" Harry asked as they approached the Fat Lady. **

"**Yeah, probably," said Ron. "But Dumbledore's always done things his way, hasn't he, and Moody's been getting in trouble for years, I reckon. Attacks first and asks questions later - look at his dustbins. Balderdash." **

**The Fat Lady swung forward to reveal the entrance hole, and they climbed into the Gryffindor common room, which was crowded and noisy. **

"**Shall we get our Divination stuff, then?" said Harry. **

"**I s'pose," Ron groaned. **

"What fun." James groaned in agreement.

**They went up to the dormitory to fetch their books and charts, to find Neville there alone, sitting on his bed, reading. He looked a good deal calmer than at the end of Moody's lesson, though still not entirely normal. His eyes were rather red. **

"**You all right, Neville?" Harry asked him. **

"**Oh yes," said Neville, "I'm fine, thanks. Just reading this book Professor Moody lent me…" **

**He held up the book: Magical Water Plants of the Mediterranean. **

"**Apparently, Professor Sprout told Professor Moody I'm really good at Herbology," Neville said. **

**There was a faint note of pride in his voice that Harry had rarely heard there before. **

"**He thought I'd like this." **

**Telling Neville what Professor Sprout had said, Harry thought, had been a very tactful way of cheering Neville up, for Neville very rarely heard that he was good at anything. It was the sort of thing Professor Lupin would have done. **

Everyone except Remus showed some sign of agreement and Remus smiled warmly at them.

**Harry and Ron took their copies of ****Unfogging the Future ****back down to the common room, found a table, and set to work on their predictions for the coming month. An hour later, they had made very little progress, though their table was littered with bits of parchment bearing sums and symbols, and Harry's brain was as fogged as though it had been filled with the fumes from Professor Trelawney's fire. **

"**I haven't got a clue what this lot's supposed to mean," he said, staring down at a long list of calculations. **

"**You know," said Ron, whose hair was on end because of all the times he had run his fingers through it in frustration, "I think it's back to the old Divination standby." **

"**What - make it up?" **

"As long as it's tragic, Trelawney will love it." Sirius said.

"**Yeah," said Ron, sweeping the jumble of scrawled notes off the table, dipping his pen into some ink, and starting to write. **

"**Next Monday," he said as he scribbled, "I am likely to develop a cough, owing to the unlucky conjunction of Mars and Jupiter." He looked up at Harry. "You know her - just put in loads of misery, she'll lap it up." **

Sirius blinked, stunned.

"**Right," said Harry, crumpling up his first attempt and lobbing it over the heads of a group of chattering first years into the fire. "Okay…on Monday, I will be in danger of- er - burns." **

"**Yeah, you will be," said Ron darkly, "we're seeing the skrewts again on Monday. Okay, Tuesday, I'll…erm…" **

"**Lose a treasured possession," said Harry, who was flicking through Unfogging the Future for ideas. **

"**Good one," said Ron, copying it down. "Because of…erm…Mercury. Why don't you get stabbed in the back by someone you thought was a friend?" **

"**Yeah…cool…" said Harry, scribbling it down, "because…Venus is in the twelfth house." **

"**And on Wednesday, I think I'll come off worst in a fight." **

James laughed, "Remember when we did that?"

Sirius laughed and Remus smiled.

"You two came up with the most ridiculous things." Remus said, laughing now.

"Yeah, so? We got an 'E'." Sirius said.

James snorted, "We should always get an 'E'. We're Exceeding Expectations just by _doing _our homework."

"**Aaah, I was going to have a fight. Okay, I'll lose a bet." **

"**Yeah, you'll be betting I'll win my fight…" **

**They continued to make up predictions (which grew steadily more tragic) for another hour, while the common room around them slowly emptied as people went up to bed. Crookshanks wandered over to them, leapt lightly into an empty chair, and stared inscrutably at Harry, rather as Hermione might look if she knew they weren't doing their homework properly. **

**Staring around the room, trying to think of a kind of misfortune he hadn't yet used, Harry saw Fred and George sitting together against the opposite wall, heads together, quills out, poring over a single piece of parchment. It was most unusual to see Fred and George hidden away in a corner and working silently; they usually liked to be in the thick of things and the noisy center of attention. **

Remus glanced at James and Sirius.

"If I didn't know better, I would think you two had taught them to be exactly like you."

**There was something secretive about the way they were working on the piece of parchment, and Harry was reminded of how they had sat together writing something back at the Burrow. He had thought then that it was another order form for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, but it didn't look like that this time; if it had been, they would surely have let Lee Jordan in on the joke. He wondered whether it had anything to do with entering the Triwizard Tournament. **

Lily sighed, "Probably."

**As Harry watched, George shook his head at Fred, scratched out something with his quill, and said, in a very quiet voice that nevertheless carried across the almost deserted room, "No - that sounds like we're accusing him. Got to be careful…" **

"Blackmail?" Sirius suggested.

**Then George looked over and saw Harry watching him. Harry grinned and quickly returned to his predictions - he didn't want George to think he was eavesdropping. **

**Shortly after that, the twins rolled up their parchment, said good night, and went off to bed. Fred and George had been gone ten minutes or so when the portrait hole opened and Hermione climbed into the common room carrying a sheaf of parchment in one hand and a box whose contents rattled as she walked in the other. Crookshanks arched his back, purring. **

"**Hello," she said, "I've just finished!" **

"**So have I!" said Ron triumphantly, throwing down his quill. **

**Hermione sat down, laid the things she was carrying in an empty armchair, and pulled Ron's predictions toward her. **

"**Not going to have a very good month, are you?" she said sardonically as Crookshanks curled up in her lap. **

"**Ah well, at least I'm forewarned," Ron yawned. **

"**You seem to be drowning twice," said Hermione.**

"Well, Sirius got detentions multiple times in his predictions." James said.

"Yeah, but that actually is _defiantly _going to happen." Remus countered.

"**Oh am I?" said Ron, peering down at his predictions. "I'd better change one of them to getting trampled by a rampaging hippogriff." **

"**Don't you think it's a bit obvious you've made these up?" said Hermione. **

"**How dare you!" said Ron, in mock outrage. "We've been working like house-elves here!" **

**Hermione raised her eyebrows. **

"**It's just an expression," said Ron hastily. **

**Harry laid down his quill too, having just finished predicting his own death by decapitation. **

"**What's in the box?" he asked, pointing at it. **

"**Funny you should ask," said Hermione, with a nasty look at Ron. She took off the lid and showed them the contents. Inside were about fifty badges, all of different colors, but all bearing the same letters: S.P.E.W. **

"**Spew?" said Harry, picking up a badge and looking at it. "What's this about?" **

"**Not spew," said Hermione impatiently. "It's S-P-E-W. Stands for the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare."**

"Merlin, Hermione. Is there no end?" Sirius cried.

"**Never heard of it," said Ron. **

"**Well, of course you haven't," said Hermione briskly, "I've only just started it." **

"**Yeah?" said Ron in mild surprise. "How many members have you got?" **

"**Well - if you two join - three," said Hermione. **

"**And you think we want to walk around wearing badges saying 'spew,' do you?" said Ron. **

"**S-P-E-W!" said Hermione hotly. "I was going to put Stop the Outrageous Abuse of Our Fellow Magical Creatures and Campaign for a Change in Their Legal Status - but it wouldn't fit. So that's the heading of our manifesto." **

Sirius thought for a second," S-O-A-O-F-M-C-C-C-T-L-S? How are you even supposed to pronounce that?"

**She brandished the sheaf of parchment at them. **

"**I've been researching it thoroughly in the library. Elf enslavement goes back centuries. I can't believe no one's done anything about it before now." **

"**Hermione - open your ears," said Ron loudly. "They. Like. It. They like being enslaved!" **

"**Our short-term aims," said Hermione, speaking even more loudly than Ron, and acting as though she hadn't heard a word, "are to secure house-elves fair wages and working conditions. Our long-term aims include changing the law about nonwand use,**

Sirius looked horrified.

"What?" James asked.

"I was imagining Kreacher with a wand."

James looked relatively afraid as well.

Hermione sighed and Harry glared at her for a moment.

** and trying to get an elf into the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, because they're shockingly underrepresented." **

"**And how do we do all this?" Harry asked. **

"**We start by recruiting members," said Hermione happily. "I thought two Sickles to join - that buys a badge - and the proceeds can fund our leaflet campaign. You're treasurer, Ron - I've got you a collecting tin upstairs - and Harry, you're secretary, so you might want to write down everything I'm saying now, as a record of our first meeting." **

"Thanks for asking our say, Hermione." Ron muttered.

**There was a pause in which Hermione beamed at the pair of them, and Harry sat, torn between exasperation at Hermione and amusement at the look on Ron's face. The silence was broken, not by Ron, who in any case looked as though he was temporarily dumbstruck, but by a soft tap, tap on the window. Harry looked across the now empty common room and saw, illuminated by the moonlight, a snowy owl perched on the windowsill. **

"**Hedwig!"**

"Saved by the owl." Sirius said, then looked excited, "Wait? Hedwig! Harry's letter! My reply!"

"You can tell Sirius is excited when his sentances aren't longer than two words." James laughed.

**he shouted, and he launched himself out of his chair and across the room to pull open the window. **

**Hedwig flew inside, soared across the room, and landed on the table on top of Harry's predictions. **

"**About time!" said Harry, hurrying after her. **

"**She's got an answer!" said Ron excitedly, pointing at the grubby piece of parchment tied to Hedwig's leg. **

**Harry hastily untied it and sat down to read, whereupon Hedwig fluttered onto his knee, hooting softly. **

"**What does it say?" Hermione asked breathlessly. **

**The letter was very short, **

Sirius groaned.

**and looked as though it had been scrawled in a great hurry. Harry read it aloud: **

_**Harry - **_

_**I****'****m flying north immediately. **_

"What? Pads, isn't that a little dangerous?" James asked.

"You better be careful." Remus added, knowing Sirius wouldn't change his mind.

"Aren't I always?" Sirius answered before losing balance and toppling off his chair.

"Oh yeah. _All _the time." Remus said.

_**This news about your scar is the latest in a series of strange rumors that have reached me here. If it hurts again, go straight to Dumbledore - they****'****re saying he****'****s got Mad-Eye out of retirement, which means he****'****s reading the signs, even if no one else is. I****'****ll be in touch soon. My best to Ron and Hermione. Keep your eyes open, Harry. **_

**_Sirius_**

"That _was _short. What was it-like 5 sentances?" Sirius growled, angry at himself.

"Six actually." Lily said, counting them up.

Sirius huffed angrily.

**Harry looked up at Ron and Hermione, who stared back at him. **

"**He's flying north?" Hermione whispered. "He's coming back?" **

"**Dumbledore's reading what signs?" said Ron, looking perplexed. "Harry - what's up?" **

**For Harry had just hit himself in the forehead with his fist, jolting Hedwig out of his lap. **

"**I shouldn't've told him!" Harry said furiously. **

"I'll be fine Harry." Sirius said, still sitting on the floor.

"**What are you on about?" said Ron in surprise. **

"**It's made him think he's got to come back!" said Harry, now slamming his fist on the table so that Hedwig landed on the back of Ron's chair, hooting indignantly. "Coming back, because he thinks I'm in trouble! And there's nothing wrong with me! And I haven't got anything for you," Harry snapped at Hedwig, who was clicking her beak expectantly, "you'll have to go up to the Owlery if you want food." **

"Harry, Sirius'll be fine. No need to snap at Hedwig." James scolded the book.

Harry was caught between an urge to laugh and an urge to apologize for something that had happened years ago.

**Hedwig gave him an extremely offended look and took off for the open window, cuffing him around the head with her outstretched wing as she went. **

"**Harry," Hermione began, in a pacifying sort of voice. **

"**I'm going to bed," said Harry shortly. "See you in the morning." **

**Upstairs in the dormitory he pulled on his pajamas and got into his four-poster, but he didn't feel remotely tired. **

**If Sirius came back and got caught, it would be his, Harry's, fault. Why hadn't he kept his mouth shut? A few seconds' pain and he'd had to blab…If he'd just had the sense to keep it to himself. **

**He heard Ron come up into the dormitory a short while later, but did not speak to him. For a long time, Harry lay staring up at the dark canopy of his bed. The dormitory was completely silent, **

**and, had he been less preoccupied, Harry would have realized that the absence of Neville's usual snores meant that he was not the only one lying awake. **

Lily handed the book to Hermione.

**Author's Note:**

**Oh, here's the new list of how they're going to be reading.**

**Remus**

** Sirius**

** Harry**

** James **

** Ron**

** Ginny**

** Lily**

** Hermione**

**I'm gonna take a computer break for now because my laptop is extremly hot and it's making me hot.**

**Please Review! And thanks to EVERYONE who reviewed/fav-ed/alerted!  
**


	16. Beuxbatons and Durmstrang

**A/N I just had the idea to update my profile pic with the chapter pic that the Marauders, trio and Lily (and Seth!) are reading and my most recently published chapter. So I'll go do that soon.**

**BEAUXBATON AND DURMSTRANG **

"Weren't those foreign wizard schools?" Sirius asked.

Remus nodded, "They're probably coming to compete in the Triwizard Tournament."

The four people from the future nodded in agreement to Remus' statement.

Hermione showed them the chapter picture and Sirius said, "So one of them is coming by boat?"

**Early next morning, Harry woke with a plan fully formed in his mind, as though his sleeping brain had been working on it all night. He got up, dressed in the pale dawn light, left the dormitory without waking Ron, and went back down to the deserted common room. Here he took a piece of parchment from the table upon which his Divination homework still lay and wrote the following letter: **

**_Dear Sirius, _**

**_I reckon I just imagined my scar hurting, I was half asleep when I wrote to you last time. There__'__s no point coming back, everything__'__s fine here. Don__'__t worry about me, my head feels completely normal. _**

_**Harry** _

Sirius couldn't help but grin, no way was that going to fool him.

**He then climbed out of the portrait hole, up through the silent castle (held up only briefly by Peeves, who tried to overturn a large vase on him halfway along the fourth-floor corridor),**

James looked horrified, "We have _got _to stop teaching him things. He tried to hit Harry."

"We just have to make sure he doesn't do anything to our future kids and their friends." Sirius said.

"Or else we'll get Moony to Wadiwasi him."

Remus shook his head at them, smiling.

**finally arriving at the Owlery, which was situated at the top of West Tower. **

**The Owlery was a circular stone room, rather cold and drafty, because none of the windows had glass in them. The floor was entirely covered in straw, owl droppings, and the regurgitated skeletons of mice and voles. Hundreds upon hundreds of owls of every breed imaginable were nestled here on perches that rose right up to the top of the tower, nearly all of them asleep, though here and there a round amber eye glared at Harry. He spotted Hedwig nestled between a barn owl and a tawny, and hurried over to her, sliding a little on the dropping-strewn floor. **

**It took him a while to persuade her to wake up and then to look at him, as she kept shuffling around on her perch, showing him her tail. She was evidently still furious about his lack of gratitude the previous night. **

"I don't really blame her." Ginny muttered.

"What? Are we going to have to start a S-P-O-W now?" Ron asked.

**In the end, it was Harry suggesting she might be too tired, and that perhaps he would ask Ron to borrow Pigwidgeon, that made her stick out her leg and allow him to tie the letter to it. **

A few of them laughed and everyone else smiled.

"**Just find him, all right?" Harry said, stroking her back as he carried her on his arm to one of the holes in the wall. "Before the dementors do." **

Sirius sighed, thinking Harry had way to many worries.

**She nipped his finger, perhaps rather harder than she would ordinarily have done, but hooted softly in a reassuring sort of way all the same. Then she spread her wings and took off into the sunrise. Harry watched her fly out of sight with the familiar feeling of unease back in his stomach. He had been so sure that Sirius's reply would alleviate his worries rather than increasing them. **

Sirius huffed.

"**That was a lie, Harry," said Hermione sharply over breakfast, when he told her and Ron what he had done. "You didn't imagine your scar hurting and you know it." **

"**So what?" said Harry. "He's not going back to Azkaban because of me." **

"Harry, you worry way to much." Sirius sighed.

Everyone except Harry seemed to agree.

"**Drop it," said Ron sharply to Hermione as she opened her mouth to argue some more, and for once, Hermione heeded him, and fell silent. **

**Harry did his best not to worry about Sirius over the next couple of weeks. True, he could not stop himself from looking anxiously around every morning when the post owls arrived, nor, late at night before he went to sleep, prevent himself from seeing horrible visions of Sirius, cornered by dementors down some dark London street, but between times he tried to keep his mind off his godfather.**

"Merlin Harry. It's nice to know you worry about me and all, but it's getting a little out of hand." Sirius said, surprised.

"Well, think about it Padfoot." Remus began, always the logical one, "You're the closest thing Harry has to a parent and you're on the run from the Ministry and have a fair chance of getting attacked by Dementors...and you don't have a wand. Wouldn't you worry if on of your parents was in a situation like that?"

Sirius gave Remus a blank look at his question, "No, I really wouldn't give a damn-OW Lily!"

She had hit him with a stinging hex and he rubbed his arm.

"-But I see what you're saying Moony." he finished, getting as far away from Lily as possible.

**He wished he still had Quidditch to distract him; nothing worked so well on a troubled mind as a good, hard training session.**

James and Sirius nodded and Lily muttered, "Quidditch obsessed."

**On the other hand, their lessons were becoming more difficult and demanding than ever before, particularly Moody's Defense Against the Dark Arts. **

**To their surprise, Professor Moody had announced that he would be putting the Imperius Curse on each of them in turn, to demonstrate its power and to see whether they could resist its effects.**

Surprisingly, Sirius was the first to voice his protest, "WHAT?! But they're just kids! That's a _dark _curse."

Harry, Ron and Hermione couldn't help but laugh a little at the 'just kids' bit.

"What?" Sirius growled.

"It's just, we've faced far worse than having an unforgivable curse placed on us by a _teacher_...a good bit of it before we even got to fourth year." Ron explained.

"Like what?" Lily asked.

"Well, let's see..." Harry began, thinking, "I've had Voldemort trying to kill me at least three times before we got this far, we fought a troll, a three-headed dog, a relatively weak Voldemort, and a dragon as first-years, giant spiders, a basilisk and _another _Voldemort as second-years, and dementors, a werewolf and what we believed to be an insane killer in our third year. No offense, Remus, Sirius."

"Non-taken." They said together.

"That's just scratching the surface of those years and we still have four years to go." Hermione said.

"Do you realize how _boring _life would be if you weren't my friend?" Ron asked.

Harry laughed, "I could imagine."

The Marauders and Lily looked a bit shocked at how lightly they were taking all this.

"**But - but you said it's illegal, Professor," said Hermione uncertainly as Moody cleared away the desks with a sweep of his wand, leaving a large clear space in the middle of the room. "You said - to use it against another human was -" **

"**Dumbledore wants you taught what it feels like," said Moody, his magical eye swiveling onto Hermione and fixing her with an eerie, unblinking stare. "If you'd rather learn the hard way - when someone's putting it on you so they can control you completely - fine by me. You're excused. Off you go." **

"I guess it's alright as long as it's not Crucio and Avada Kadavra because Moody's not going to do anything to make them hurt themselves." Sirius said reasonably.

**He pointed one gnarled finger toward the door. Hermione went very pink and muttered something about not meaning that she wanted to leave. Harry and Ron grinned at each other. They knew Hermione would rather eat bubotuber pus than miss such an important lesson. **

James and Sirius snickered and gave Remus a look.

He rolled his eyes and motioned for Hermione to continue.

**Moody began to beckon students forward in turn and put the Imperius Curse upon them. Harry watched as, one by one, his classmates did the most extraordinary things under its influence. Dean Thomas hopped three times around the room, singing the national anthem. Lavender Brown imitated a squirrel. Neville performed a series of quite astonishing gymnastics he would certainly not have been capable of in his normal state. Not one of them seemed to be able to fight off the curse, and each of them recovered only when Moody had removed it. **

"**Potter," Moody growled, "you next." **

Remus, Sirius and James leaned in for a moment, making bets.

**Harry moved forward into the middle of the classroom, into the space that Moody had cleared of desks. Moody raised his wand, pointed it at Harry, and said, "****Imperio!****" **

**It was the most wonderful feeling. Harry felt a floating sensation as every thought and worry in his head was wiped gently away, leaving nothing but a vague, untraceable happiness. He stood there feeling immensely relaxed, only dimly aware of everyone watching him. **

**And then he heard Mad-Eye Moody's voice, echoing in some distant chamber of his empty brain: ****Jump onto the desk…jump onto the desk… **

**Harry bent his knees obediently, preparing to spring. **

**Jump onto the desk… **

**Why, though? Another voice had awoken in the back of his brain. Stupid thing to do, really, said the voice. **

"He's fighting it." James said happily.

"Yeah, but not completely." Remus countered.

**Jump onto the desk… **

**No, I don't think I will, thanks, said the other voice, a little more firmly…no, I don't really want to. **

**Jump! NOW! **

**The next thing Harry felt was considerable pain. He had both jumped and tried to prevent himself from jumping**

Remus held his hand out to Sirius and James and they gave his money, grumbling under their breath.

"What'd you bet?" Harry asked curiously.

"Remus said you'd try to fight it and do whatever Moody made you at the same time," James began, "I said you'd fight it off completely and Sirius said you wouldn't be able to fight it at all."

"So," Sirius said, "basically, Moony's going to be rich by the time we finish how ever many books we have left."

A note fluttered down into his lap, 'There's four books to go, counting this one.'

**- the result was that he'd smashed headlong into the desk knocking it over, and, by the feeling in his legs, fractured both his kneecaps. **

"Ow." Sirius muttered as Harry rubbed his knee.

"**Now, that's more like it!" growled Moody's voice, and suddenly, Harry felt the empty, echoing feeling in his head disappear. He remembered exactly what was happening, and the pain in his knees seemed to double. **

"**Look at that, you lot…Potter fought! He fought it, and he damn near beat it! We'll try that again, Potter, and the rest of you, pay attention - watch his eyes, that's where you see it - very good, Potter, very good indeed! They'll have trouble controlling you!" **

"I guess that's a good thing." Sirius muttered.

"**The way he talks," Harry muttered as he hobbled out of the Defense Against the Dark Arts class an hour later (Moody had insisted on putting Harry through his paces four times in a row, until Harry could throw off the curse entirely)**

"He did throw it off Moony!" James shouted.

"After his fourth try, Prongs. Our bet was for his first try." Remus said.

**, "you'd think we were all going to be attacked any second." **

"**Yeah, I know," said Ron, who was skipping on every alternate step. He had had much more difficulty with the curse than Harry, though Moody assured him the effects would wear off by lunchtime. "Talk about paranoid…" Ron glanced nervously over his shoulder to check that Moody was definitely out of earshot and went on. "No wonder they were glad to get shot of him at the Ministry. Did you hear him telling Seamus what he did to that witch who shouted 'Boo' behind him on April Fools' Day? And when are we supposed to read up on resisting the Imperius Curse with everything else we've got to do?" **

**All the fourth years had noticed a definite increase in the amount of work they were required to do this term. Professor McGonagall explained why, when the class gave a particularly loud groan at the amount of Transfiguration homework she had assigned. **

"**You are now entering a most important phase of your magical education!" she told them, her eyes glinting dangerously behind her square spectacles. "Your Ordinary Wizarding Levels are drawing closer—" **

They're a year away!" James groaned.

"**We don't take O.W.L.s till fifth year!" said Dean Thomas indignantly.**

"Exactly!" James huffed.

"**Maybe not, Thomas, but believe me, you need all the preparation you can get! Miss Granger remains the only person in this class who has managed to turn a hedgehog into a satisfactory pincushion. I might remind you that your pincushion, Thomas, still curls up in fright if anyone approaches it with a pin!" **

**Hermione, who had turned rather pink again, seemed to be trying not to look too pleased with herself. **

**Harry and Ron were deeply amused when Professor Trelawney told them that they had received top marks for their homework in their next Divination class. She read out large portions of their predictions, commending them for their unflinching acceptance of the horrors in store for them - but they were less amused when she asked them to do the same thing for the month after next; both of them were running out of ideas for catastrophes. **

"That never happened to us, did it Padfoot?" James said.

"No, we just thought of all the things we'd done to Ol' Snively and wrote that they would happen to us." Sirius answered.

Remus watched them for a moment, "You sure did a lot to Snape.

**Meanwhile Professor Binns, the ghost who taught History of Magic, had them writing weekly essays on the goblin rebellions of the eighteenth century.**

Sirius and James moaned and gave the others sympathetic looks.

**Professor Snape was forcing them to research antidotes. They took this one seriously, as he had hinted that he might be poisoning one of them before Christmas to see if their antidote worked. Professor Flitwick had asked them to read three extra books in preparation for their lesson on Summoning Charms. **

Sirius looked stunned, "_Three _books just for _preparation?!_"

**Even Hagrid was adding to their workload. The Blast-Ended Skrewts were growing at a remarkable pace given that nobody had yet discovered what they ate. Hagrid was delighted, and as part of their "project," suggested that they come down to his hut on alternate evenings to observe the skrewts and make notes on their extraordinary behavior. **

"**I will not," said Draco Malfoy flatly when Hagrid had proposed this with the air of Father Christmas pulling an extra-large toy out of his sack. "I see enough of these foul things during lessons, thanks." **

**Hagrid's smile faded off his face. **

"**Yeh'll do wha' yer told," he growled, "or I'll be takin' a leaf outta Professor Moody's book…I hear yeh made a good ferret, Malfoy." **

They all laughed and Sirius wrote down to thank Hagrid someway.

**The Gryffindors roared with laughter. Malfoy flushed with anger, but apparently the memory of Moody's punishment was still sufficiently painful to stop him from retorting. Harry, Ron, and Hermione returned to the castle at the end of the lesson in high spirits; seeing Hagrid put down Malfoy was particularly satisfying, especially because Malfoy had done his very best to get Hagrid sacked the previous year. **

**When they arrived in the entrance hall, they found themselves unable to proceed owing to the large crowd of students congregated there, all milling around a large sign that had been erected at the foot of the marble staircase. Ron, the tallest of the three, stood on tiptoe to see over the heads in front of them and read the sign aloud to the other two: **

**TRIWIZARD TOURNAMENT **

Lily frowned and James and Sirius looked excited.

**THE DELEGATIONS FROM BEAUXBATONS AND DURMSTRANG WILL BE ARRIVING AT 6 O'CLOCK ON FRIDAY THE 30TH OF OCTOBER. LESSONS WILL END HALF AN HOUR EARLY – **

"YES!"Sirius cheered.

"Don't you have potions last?" James asked.

"Yeah." Ron answered.

"Even better." Sirius said, grinning.

"**Brilliant!" said Harry. "It's Potions last thing on Friday! Snape won't have time to poison us all!" **

**STUDENTS WILL RETURN THEIR BAGS AND BOOKS TO THEIR DORMITORIES AND ASSEMBLE IN FRONT OF THE CASTLE TO GREET OUR GUESTS BEFORE THE WELCOMING FEAST. **

"Feast." Sirius muttered.

"Stop drooling, Padfoot." James teased.

Sirius glared at him.

"**Only a week away!" said Ernie Macmillan of Hufflepuff, emerging from the crowd, his eyes gleaming. "I wonder if Cedric knows? Think I'll go and tell him…" **

"**Cedric?" said Ron blankly as Ernie hurried off. **

"**Diggory,"**

James growled and Lily and Remus rolled their eyes.

"Get _over _it, James." Lily muttered.

** said Harry. "He must be entering the tournament." **

"**That idiot, Hogwarts champion?"**

James smiled.

** said Ron as they pushed their way through the chattering crowd toward the staircase. **

"**He's not an idiot. You just don't like him because he beat Gryffindor at Quidditch," said Hermione. "I've heard he's a really good student - and he's a prefect." **

**She spoke as though this settled the matter. **

"**You only like him because he's handsome," said Ron scathingly. **

James snorted and Sirius muttered something like, 'Jealous' under his breath.

"**Excuse me, I don't like people just because they're handsome!" said Hermione indignantly. **

**Ron gave a loud false cough, which sounded oddly like "Lockhart!" **

Hermione rolled her eyes, "Please."

**The appearance of the sign in the entrance hall had a marked effect upon the inhabitants of the castle. During the following week, there seemed to be only one topic of conversation, no matter where Harry went: the Triwizard Tournament. **

**Rumors were flying from student to student like highly contagious germs: who was going to try for Hogwarts champion, what the tournament would involve, how the students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang differed from themselves. Harry noticed too that the castle seemed to be undergoing an extra-thorough cleaning. **

"Good thing you two aren't there." Remus told James and Sirius.

"Why?" Peter asked.

"Because they'd be messing everything back up as soon as it was cleaned."

**Several grimy portraits had been scrubbed, much to the displeasure of their subjects, who sat huddled in their frames muttering darkly and wincing as they felt their raw pink faces. The suits of armor were suddenly gleaming and moving without squeaking, and Argus Filch, the caretaker, was behaving so ferociously to any students who forgot to wipe their shoes that he terrified a pair of first-year girls into hysterics. **

Sirius scribbled this down on his revenge list and thought that it was just a reason to prank Filch. They would anyway.

**Other members of the staff seemed oddly tense too. **

"**Longbottom, kindly do not reveal that you can't even perform a simple Switching Spell in front of anyone from Durmstrang!" Professor McGonagall barked at the end of one particularly difficult lesson, during which Neville had accidentally transplanted his own ears onto a cactus. **

**When they went down to breakfast on the morning of the thirtieth of October, they found that the Great Hall had been decorated overnight. Enormous silk banners hung from the walls, each of them representing a Hogwarts House: red with a gold lion for Gryffindor,**

James and Sirius cheered and one of them wished up a matching banner, which appeared on the wall and rolled itself out.

** blue with a bronze eagle for Ravenclaw, yellow with a black badger for Hufflepuff, and green with a silver serpent for Slytherin.**

The two black haired Marauders booed.

** Behind the teachers' table, the largest banner of all bore the Hogwarts coat of arms: lion, eagle, badger, and snake united around a large letter H. **

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down beside Fred and George at the Gryffindor table. Once again, and most unusually, they were sitting apart from everyone else and conversing in low voices. Ron led the way over to them. **

"They're planning something." James muttered.

"**It's a bummer, all right," George was saying gloomily to Fred. "But if he won't talk to us in person, we'll have to send him the letter after all. Or we'll stuff it into his hand. He can't avoid us forever." **

"**Who's avoiding you?" said Ron, sitting down next to them. **

"**Wish you would," said Fred, looking irritated at the interruption. **

"**What's a bummer?" Ron asked George. **

"**Having a nosy git like you for a brother," said George. **

"**You two got any ideas on the Triwizard Tournament yet?" Harry asked. "Thought any more about trying to enter?" **

"**I asked McGonagall how the champions are chosen but she wasn't telling," said George bitterly. "She just told me to shut up and get on with transfiguring my raccoon." **

"I remember when we had to do that." James said, laughing.

"Sirius' raccoon went crazy and attacked Snape." Remus said.

"Funny how it just _happened _to be Snape." Lily muttered.

"Not at all, Lily-Flower." Sirius replied. James threw a pillow at him for using 'Lily-Flower'.

"How did you do it?"

"Like I'd tell you."

"**Wonder what the tasks are going to be?" said Ron thoughtfully. "You know, I bet we could do them, Harry. We've done dangerous stuff before…" **

"No." Lily and James both said firmly.

Sirius looked shocked at James but didn't say anything.

"**Not in front of a panel of judges, you haven't," said Fred. "McGonagall says the champions get awarded points according to how well they've done the tasks." **

"**Who are the judges?" Harry asked. **

"**Well, the Heads of the participating schools are always on the panel," said Hermione, and everyone looked around at her, rather surprised, "because all three of them were injured during the Tournament of 1792, when a cockatrice **

"What's that again?" Peter asked.

"It's kind of like a rooster and a snake or a dragon mixed together." Remus told him.

**the champions were supposed to be catching went on the rampage." **

**She noticed them all looking at her and said, with her usual air of impatience that nobody else had read all the books she had, "It's all in ****Hogwarts, A History****. Though, of course, that book's not entirely reliable. A Revised History of Hogwarts would be a more accurate title. Or A Highly Biased and Selective History of Hogwarts, Which Glosses Over the Nastier Aspects of the School." **

"Merlin, Hermione." Sirius sighed.

"**What are you on about?" said Ron, though Harry thought he knew what was coming. **

"**House-elves!" said Hermione, her eyes flashing. "Not once, in over a thousand pages, does ****Hogwarts, A History ****mention that we are all colluding in the oppression of a hundred slaves!" **

**Harry shook his head and applied himself to his scrambled eggs. His and Ron's lack of enthusiasm had done nothing whatsoever to curb Hermione's determination to pursue justice for house-elves. **

**True, both of them had paid two Sickles for a S.P.E.W. badge, but they had only done it to keep her quiet. Their Sickles had been wasted, however; if anything, they seemed to have made Hermione more vociferous. She had been badgering Harry and Ron ever since, first to wear the badges, then to persuade others to do the same, and she had also taken to rattling around the Gryffindor common room every evening, cornering people and shaking the collecting tin under their noses. **

Sirius looked shocked, "OK, Hermione you're getting a little out of hand."

Hermione huffed.

"**You do realize that your sheets are changed, your fires lit, your classrooms cleaned, and your food cooked by a group of magical creatures who are unpaid and enslaved?" she kept saying fiercely. **

**Some people, like Neville, had paid up just to stop Hermione from glowering at them. A few seemed mildly interested in what she had to say, but were reluctant to take a more active role incampaigning. Many regarded the whole thing as a joke. Ron now rolled his eyes at the ceiling, which was flooding them all in autumn sunlight, and Fred became extremely interested in his bacon (both twins had refused to buy a S.P.E.W. badge). George, however, leaned in toward Hermione. **

"**Listen, have you ever been down in the kitchens,**

"Yep." All the Marauders said.

"Really?" Lily asked.

"Yeah, when you have a friend like Padfoot who eats all the time, it's good to know where the kitchen is." Remus said.

Sirius nodded, "We could take you sometime."

** Hermione?" **

"**No, of course not," said Hermione curtly, "I hardly think students are supposed to -" **

"**Well, we have," said George, indicating Fred, "loads of times, to nick food. And we've met them, and they're happy. They think they've got the best job in the world -" **

"Yeah," James agreed, "if you ask for some food they'll all run to go get some and bring back enough for an army."

"They're happy to do it too." Sirius agreed.

"**That's because they're uneducated and brainwashed!" **

James and Sirius snorted with laughter.

**Hermione began hotly, but her next few words were drowned out by the sudden whooshing noise from overhead, which announced the arrival of the post owls. Harry looked up at once, and saw Hedwig soaring toward him.**

"That was fast, I must've came closer." Sirius said happily and a bit worried at the same time.

** Hermione stopped talking abruptly; she and Ron watched Hedwig anxiously as she fluttered down onto Harry's shoulder, folded her wings, and held out her leg wearily.**

**Harry pulled off Sirius's reply and offered Hedwig his bacon rinds, which she ate gratefully. Then, checking that Fred and George were safely immersed in further discussions about the Triwizard Tournament, Harry read out Sirius's letter in a whisper to Ron and Hermione. **

_Nice try, Harry. _

Sirius laughed.

_I__'__m back in the country and well hidden. I want you to keep me posted on everything that__'__s going on at Hogwarts. Don__'__t use Hedwig, keep changing owls,_

"That was actually smart, Sirius." Remus joked.

Sirius threw a stress ball at him, making Remus laugh.

_ and don__'__t worry about me, just watch out for yourself. Don__'__t forget what I said about your scar. _

_Sirius _

"**Why d'you have to keep changing owls?" Ron asked in a low voice. **

"**Hedwig'll attract too much attention," said Hermione at once. "She stands out. A snowy owl that keeps returning to wherever he's hiding…I mean, they're not native birds, are they?" **

**Harry rolled up the letter and slipped it inside his robes, wondering whether he felt more or less worried than before. He supposed that Sirius managing to get back without being caught was something. He couldn't deny either that the idea that Sirius was much nearer was reassuring; at least he wouldn't have to wait so long for a response every time he wrote.**

"Good." Sirius muttered.

"**Thanks, Hedwig," he said, stroking her. She hooted sleepily, dipped her beak briefly into his goblet of orange juice, then took off again, clearly desperate for a good long sleep in the Owlery. **

**There was a pleasant feeling of anticipation in the air that day. Nobody was very attentive in lessons, being much more interested in the arrival that evening of the people from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang; even Potions was more bearable than usual, as it was half an hour shorter. When the bell rang early, Harry, Ron, and Hermione hurried up to Gryffindor Tower, deposited their bags and books as they had been instructed, pulled on their cloaks, and rushed back downstairs into the entrance hall. **

**The Heads of Houses were ordering their students into lines. **

"**Weasley, straighten your hat," Professor McGonagall snapped at Ron. "Miss Patil, take that ridiculous thing out of your hair."**

"Someone's nervous..." James said.

**Parvati scowled and removed a large ornamental butterfly from the end of her plait. **

"**Follow me, please," said Professor McGonagall. "First years in front…no pushing…" **

**They filed down the steps and lined up in front of the castle. It was a cold, clear evening; dusk was falling and a pale, transparent-looking moon was already shining over the Forbidden Forest. Harry, standing between Ron and Hermione in the fourth row from the front, saw Dennis Creevey positively shivering with anticipation among the other first years. **

"**Nearly six," said Ron, checking his watch and then staring down the drive that led to the front gates. "How d'you reckon they're coming? The train?" **

"That's a good question." Remus said.

"**I doubt it," said Hermione. **

"**How, then? Broomsticks?" Harry suggested, looking up at the starry sky. **

"**I don't think so…not from that far away…" **

"**A Portkey?" Ron suggested. "Or they could Apparate - maybe you're allowed to do it under seventeen wherever they come from?" **

"You can't Apparate into the Hogwarts grounds." Remus, Lily and Hermione all said at once.

"**You can't Apparate inside the Hogwarts grounds, how often do I have to tell you?" said Hermione impatiently. **

**They scanned the darkening grounds excitedly, but nothing was moving; everything was still, silent, and quite as usual. Harry was starting to feel cold. He wished they'd hurry up…Maybe the foreign students were preparing a dramatic entrance…He remembered what Mr. Weasley had said back at the campsite before the Quidditch World Cup: "always the same - we can't resist showing off when we get together…" **

**And then Dumbledore called out from the back row where he stood with the other teachers - "Aha! Unless I am very much mistaken, the delegation from Beauxbatons approaches!" **

"**Where?" said many students eagerly, all looking in different directions. **

"**There!" yelled a sixth year, pointing over the forest. **

**Something large, much larger than a broomstick-or, indeed, a hundred broomsticks-was hurtling across the deep blue sky toward the castle, growing larger all the time. **

"**It's a dragon!" shrieked one of the first years, losing her head completely.**

Nearly everyone laughed, Harry merely smiled, not having good experiences with dragons.

"**Don't be stupid…it's a flying house!" said Dennis Creevey. **

"Oh, yeah, don't be stupid." Sirius muttered, causing the others to laugh.

**Dennis's guess was closer…**

"Huh?"

**As the gigantic black shape skimmed over the treetops of the Forbidden Forest and the lights shining from the castle windows hit it, they saw a gigantic, powderblue, horse-drawn carriage, the size of a large house,**

"Oh.'

** soaring toward them, pulled through the air by a dozen winged horses, all palominos, and each the size of an elephant. **

"Wow."

"Arthur wasn't kidding about us liking to show off." Remus said.

**The front three rows of students drew backward as the carriage hurtled ever lower, coming in to land at a tremendous speed - then, with an almighty crash that made Neville jump backward onto a Slytherian fifth year's foot, **

"That Slytherian better not say anything bad to Neville." Sirius muttered threateningly.

**the horses' hooves, larger than dinner plates, hit the ground. A second later, the carriage landed too, bouncing upon its vast wheels, while the golden horses tossed their enormous heads and rolled large, fiery red eyes. **

**Harry just had time to see that the door of the carriage bore a coat of arms (two crossed, golden wands, each emitting three stars) before it opened. A boy in pale blue robes jumped down from the carriage, bent forward, fumbled for a moment with something on the carriage floor, and unfolded a set of golden steps. He sprang back respectfully. Then Harry saw a shining, high-heeled black shoe emerging from the inside of the carriage - a shoe the size of a child's sled**

"Whoa, a clown!" Sirius shouted.

Everyone started laughing, expesially Hermione, Ron and Harry who knew about Madame Maxime.

** - followed, almost immediately, by the largest woman he had ever seen in his life. The size of the carriage, and of the horses, was immediately explained. A few people gasped. **

**Harry had only ever seen one person as large as this woman in his life, and that was Hagrid; he doubted whether there was an inch difference in their heights. Yet somehow - maybe simply because he was used to Hagrid - this woman (now at the foot of the steps, and looking around at the waiting, wide-eyed crowd) seemed even more unnaturally large. As she stepped into the light flooding from the entrance hall, she was revealed to have a handsome,**

"Isn't 'handsome' usually associated with guys?" Sirius asked.

A few of them laughed.

** olive-skinned face; large, black, liquid-looking eyes; and a rather beaky nose. Her hair was drawn back in a shining knob at the base of her neck. She was dressed from head to foot in black satin, and many magnificent opals gleamed at her throat and on her thick fingers. **

**Dumbledore started to clap; the students, following his lead, broke into applause too, many of them standing on tiptoe, the better to look at this woman. **

**Her face relaxed into a gracious smile and she walked forward toward Dumbledore, extending a glittering hand. Dumbledore, though tall himself, had barely to bend to kiss it. **

"**My dear Madame Maxime," he said. "Welcome to Hogwarts." **

"**Dumbly-dort," said Madame Maxime in a deep voice. "I 'ope I find you well?"**

Sirius whined, wanting to copy Maxime's accent but Hermione was reading.

"**In excellent form, I thank you," said Dumbledore. **

"**My pupils," said Madame Maxime, waving one of her enormous hands carelessly behind her. **

**Harry, whose attention had been focused completely upon Madame Maxime, now noticed that about a dozen boys and girls, all, by the look of them, in their late teens, had emerged from the carriage and were now standing behind Madame Maxime. They were shivering, which was unsurprising, given that their robes seemed to be made of fine silk, and none of them were wearing cloaks. A few had wrapped scarves and shawls around their heads. From what Harry could see of them (they were standing in Madame Maxime's enormous shadow), they were staring up at Hogwarts with apprehensive looks on their faces. **

"'**As Karkaroff arrived yet?" Madame Maxime asked. **

"**He should be here any moment,"**

"I guess they're coming in the boat." James said.

Harry nodded.

"But how? The only water near Hogwarts is the lake." Remus said.

** said Dumbledore. "Would you like to wait here and greet him or would you prefer to step inside and warm up a trifle?" **

"**Warm up, I think," said Madame Maxime. "But ze 'orses -" **

"**Our Care of Magical Creatures teacher will be delighted to take care of them," said Dumbledore, "the moment he has returned from dealing with a slight situation that has arisen with some of his other-er-charges." **

"**Skrewts," Ron muttered to Harry, grinning. **

"**My steeds require-er-forceful 'andling," said Madame Maxime, looking as though she doubted whether any Care of Magical Creatures teacher at Hogwarts could be up to the job. "Zey are very strong…" **

"So is Hagrid." Sirius mumbled, thinking of all the times they had nearly gotten crushed by a Hagrid-Hug.

"**I assure you that Hagrid will be well up to the job," said Dumbledore, smiling. **

"**Very well," said Madame Maxime, bowing slightly. "Will you please inform zis 'Agrid zat ze 'orses drink only single-malt whiskey?" **

"**It will be attended to," said Dumbledore, also bowing. **

"**Come," said Madame Maxime imperiously to her students, and the Hogwarts crowd parted to allow her and her students to pass up the stone steps. **

"**How big d'you reckon Durmstrang's horses are going to be?" Seamus Finnigan said, leaning around Lavender and Parvati to address Harry and Ron. **

"**Well, if they're any bigger than this lot, even Hagrid won't be able to handle them," said Harry. "That's if he hasn't been attacked by his skrewts. Wonder what's up with them?" **

"**Maybe they've escaped," said Ron hopefully. **

"That would be awesome!" Sirius exclaimed, imagining the chaos.

"That would be_ bad_." Lily replied, also imagining.

"**Oh don't say that," said Hermione with a shudder. "Imagine that lot loose on the grounds…" **

**They stood, shivering slightly now, waiting for the Durmstrang party to arrive. Most people were gazing hopefully up at the sky. **

**For a few minutes, the silence was broken only by Madame Maxime's huge horses snorting and stamping. But then - "Can you hear something?" said Ron suddenly. Harry listened; a loud and oddly eerie noise was drifting toward them from out of the darkness: a muffled rumbling and sucking sound, as though an immense vacuum cleaner were moving along a riverbed.**

"Um...weird." Sirius muttered, trying to imagine that noise.

"**The lake!" yelled Lee Jordan, pointing down at it. "Look at the lake!" **

**From their position at the top of the lawns overlooking the grounds, they had a clear view of the smooth black surface of the water - except that the surface was suddenly not smooth at all. Some disturbance was taking place deep in the center; great bubbles were forming on the surface, waves were now washing over the muddy banks - and then, out in the very middle of the lake, a whirlpool appeared, as if a giant plug had just been pulled out of the lake's floor…What seemed to be a long, black pole began to rise slowly out of the heart of the whirlpool…and then Harry saw the rigging… **

"**It's a mast!" he said to Ron and Hermione. **

"They're coming out of the lake?!" James asked, surprised.

"Oh, the wonders of magic." Sirius singsonged.

**Slowly, magnificently, the ship rose out of the water, gleaming in the moonlight. It had a strangely skeletal look about it, as though it were a resurrected wreck, and the dim, misty lights shimmering at its portholes looked like ghostly eyes. Finally, with a great sloshing noise, the ship emerged entirely, bobbing on the turbulent water, and began to glide toward the bank. A few moments later, they heard the splash of an anchor being thrown down in the shallows, and the thud of a plank being lowered onto the bank. **

**People were disembarking; they could see their silhouettes passing the lights in the ship's portholes. All of them, Harry noticed, seemed to be built along the lines of Crabbe and Goyle…but then, as they drew nearer, walking up the lawns into the light streaming from the entrance hall, he saw that their bulk was really due to the fact that they were wearing cloaks of some kind of shaggy, matted fur.**

"Durmstrang must be somewhere cold." Sirius said.

"Didn't Hermione mention that earlier?" Remus asked.

"Yeah," Hermione said, "I said that they must be somewhere cold because heavy cloaks were part of their uniform."

** But the man who was leading them up to the castle was wearing furs of a different sort: sleek and silver, like his hair. **

"**Dumbledore!" he called heartily as he walked up the slope. "How are you, my dear fellow, how are you?" **

"**Blooming, thank you, Professor Karkaroff,"**

"Why is that name familiar?" James asked.

Sirius concentrated, "It's familiar to me too...might have something to do with my parents."

"What makes you associate the headmaster of Durmstrang with your parents?"

"I don't know."

** Dumbledore replied. Karkaroff had a fruity, unctuous voice; when he stepped into the light pouring from the front doors of the castle they saw that he was tall and thin like Dumbledore, but his white hair was short, and his goatee (finishing in a small curl) did not entirely hide his rather weak chin. When he reached Dumbledore, he shook hands with both of his own. **

"**Dear old Hogwarts," he said, looking up at the castle and smiling; his teeth were rather yellow, and Harry noticed that**** his smile did not extend to his eyes, which remained cold and shrewd. "How good it is to be here, how good…Viktor, come along, into the warmth…you don't mind, Dumbledore? Viktor has a slight head cold…" **

**Karkaroff beckoned forward one of his students. As the boy passed, Harry caught a glimpse of a prominent curved nose and thick black eyebrows.**

"Krum?!" James shouted.

Ron frowned and Hermione rolled her eyes.

** He didn't need the punch on the arm Ron gave him, or the hiss in his ear, to recognize that profile. **

"**Harry - it's Krum!" **

"Who's turn is it?" Hermione asked, holding out the book.

"Mine." Sirius said, reaching for the book.

"It is not, it's my turn." Remus said, hitting Sirius' arm and taking the book himself.

**A/N OK, I updated my profile pic but it says it can take up to an hour to show up so....REVIEW PLEASE! Seth is probably returning next chapter, as long as I remember. XD  
**


	17. The Goblet of Fire

**A/N: One of my reviewers wanted Seth to come back in an owls beak. (getting eaten) lol I said too many people liked him for me to do that.**

**CHAPTER SIXTEEN **

**THE GOBLET OF FIRE**

Harry glanced at Lily worriedly for a second, she was _not _going to like it when his name came out.

"Wonder what that is..." Sirius said.

To answer him Remus showed him the chapter picture.

"Well that helps a whole lot." Sirius said sarcastically, "Thanks _so _much Moony."

Remus was about to reply when he saw the odd look on Harry's face.

"What is it?"

"Seth." Harry said, getting up to open the door for the snake.

Seth slithered in the room and Sirius and James cringed.

Harry sighed and began filling him in on everything he had missed quietly in Parsletongue while Remus went back to reading.

"**I don't believe it!" Ron said, in a stunned voice, as the Hogwarts students filed back up the steps behind the party from Durmstrang. "Krum, Harry! Viktor Krum!" **

"**For heaven's sake, Ron, he's only a Quidditch player," said Hermione. **

Ron muttered something under his breath that made Hermione glare at him.

"**Only a Quidditch player?" Ron said, looking at her as though he couldn't believe his ears. "Hermione - he's one of the best Seekers in the world! I had no idea he was still at school!" **

**As they recrossed the entrance hall with the rest of the Hogwarts students heading for the Great Hall, Harry saw Lee Jordan jumping up and down on the soles of his feet to get a better look at the back of Krum's head. Several sixth-year girls were frantically searching their pockets as they walked - "Oh I don't believe it, I haven't got a single quill on me -" **

"**D'you think he'd sign my hat in lipstick?" **

"**Really," Hermione said loftily as they passed the girls, now squabbling over the lipstick. **

"**I'm getting his autograph if I can," said Ron. "You haven't got a quill, have you, Harry?" **

"Quidditch obsessed." Lily said for what seemed like the millionth time so far.

"**Nope, they're upstairs in my bag," said Harry. **

**They walked over to the Gryffindor table and sat down. Ron took care to sit on the side facing the doorway, because Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students were still gathered around it, apparently unsure about where they should sit. The students from Beauxbatons had chosen seats at the Ravenclaw table. They were looking around the Great Hall with glum expressions on their faces. Three of them were still clutching scarves and shawls around their heads. **

"**It's not that cold," said Hermione defensively. "Why didn't they bring cloaks?" **

"**Over here! Come and sit over here!" Ron hissed. "Over here! Hermione, budge up, make a space -" **

"**What?" **

"**Too late," said Ron bitterly. **

**Viktor Krum and his fellow Durmstrang students had settled themselves at the Slytherin table.**

"I don't think I like Krum anymore." James said.

** Harry could see Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle looking very smug about this. As he watched, Malfoy bent forward to speak to Krum. **

"**Yeah, that's right, swarm up to him, Malfoy," said Ron scathingly. "I bet Krum can see right through him, though…bet he gets people fawning over him all the time…Where d'you reckon they're going to sleep? We could offer him a space in our dormitory, Harry…I wouldn't mind giving him my bed, I could kip on a camp bed."**

James and Sirius laughed and Ron looked ashamed of himself.

**Hermione snorted. **

"**They look a lot happier than the Beauxbatons lot," said Harry. The Durmstrang students were pulling off their heavy furs and looking up at the starry black ceiling with expressions of interest; a couple of them were picking up the golden plates and goblets and examining them, apparently impressed. **

"I bet Hogwart's is loads better than _Durmstrang._" James and Ron both said together.

**Up at the staff table, Filch, the caretaker, was adding chairs. He was wearing his moldy old tailcoat in honor of the occasion. Harry was surprised to see that he added four chairs, two on either side of Dumbledore's. "But there are only two extra people," Harry said. "Why's Filch putting out four chairs, who else is coming?"**

"Judges?" Remus asked.

"**Eh?" said Ron vaguely. He was still staring avidly at Krum. **

**When all the students had entered the Hall and settled down at their House tables, the staff entered, filing up to the top table and taking their seats. Last in line were Professor Dumbledore, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime. When their headmistress appeared, the pupils from Beauxbatons leapt to their feet. A few of the Hogwarts students laughed. The Beauxbatons party appeared quite unembarrassed, however, and did not resume their seats until Madame Maxime had sat down on Dumbledore's left-hand side. Dumbledore remained standing, and a silence fell over the Great Hall. **

"**Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, ghosts and - most particularly - guests," said Dumbledore, beaming around at the foreign students. "I have great pleasure in welcoming you all to Hogwarts. I hope and trust that your stay here will be both comfortable and enjoyable." **

**One of the Beauxbatons girls still clutching a muffler around her head **

"They really should've brought cloaks." Lily said.

**gave what was unmistakably a derisive laugh. **

"She can just leave if she not enjoying it." Ginny huffed.

"**No one's making you stay!" Hermione whispered, bristling at her. **

"**The tournament will be officially opened at the end of the feast," said Dumbledore. "I now invite you all to eat, drink, and make yourselves at home!" **

**He sat down, and Harry saw Karkaroff lean forward at once and engage him in conversation. **

**The plates in front of them filled with food as usual. The house-elves in the kitchen seemed to have pulled out all the stops; there was a greater variety of dishes in front of them than Harry had ever seen, including several that were definitely foreign. **

"**What's that?" said Ron, pointing at a large dish of some sort of shellfish stew that stood beside a large steak-and-kidney pudding. **

"**Bouillabaisse," said Hermione.**

"What?" Sirius asked.

Remus opened his mouth to explain but Sirius cut him off, "You'll probably just give me some freakishly long explanation, just read."

Remus rolled his eyes but read on anyway.

"**Bless you," said Ron. **

"**It's French," said Hermione, "I had it on holiday summer before last. It's very nice." **

"**I'll take your word for it," said Ron, helping himself to black pudding.**

Sirius, who was hungry once again, wished up some more food.

_"Does he_ ever_ stop eating?"_ Seth hissed at Harry.

Harry chuckled and shook his head, "Not really."

**The Great Hall seemed somehow much more crowded than usual, even though there were barely twenty additional students there; perhaps it was because their differently colored uniforms stood out so clearly against the black of the Hogwarts' robes. Now that they had removed their furs, the Durmstrang students were revealed to be wearing robes of a deep bloodred. **

"Well, that's....nice." Sirius said, not knowing how to describe it.

**Hagrid sidled into the Hall through a door behind the staff table twenty minutes after the start of the feast. He slid into his seat at the end and waved at Harry, Ron, and Hermione with a very heavily bandaged hand. **

"**Skrewts doing all right, Hagrid?" Harry called. **

"**Thrivin'," Hagrid called back happily.**

"Great." Ginny muttered.

"**Yeah, I'll just bet they are," said Ron quietly. "Looks like they've finally found a food they like, doesn't it? Hagrid's fingers." **

**At that moment, a voice said, "Excuse me, are you wanting ze bouillabaisse?" It was the girl from Beauxbatons who had laughed during Dumbledore's speech. She had finally removed her muffler. A long sheet of silvery-blonde hair fell almost to her waist. She had large, deep blue eyes, and very white, even teeth. **

**Ron went purple. He stared up at her, opened his mouth to reply, but nothing came out except a faint gurgling noise. **

Lily, Ginny and, especially, Hermione sighed exasperatedly.

"**Yeah, have it," said Harry, pushing the dish toward the girl. **

"**You 'ave finished wiz it?" **

"**Yeah," Ron said breathlessly. "Yeah, it was excellent." **

Sirius snorted and Ron blushed.

**The girl picked up the dish and carried it carefully off to the Ravenclaw table. Ron was still goggling at the girl as though he had never seen one before. Harry started to laugh. The sound seemed to jog Ron back to his senses. **

"**She's a veela!" he said hoarsely to Harry. **

"**Of course she isn't!" said Hermione tartly. "I don't see anyone else gaping at her like an idiot!" **

**But she wasn't entirely right about that. As the girl crossed the Hall, many boys' heads turned, and some of them seemed to have become temporarily speechless, just like Ron. **

"**I'm telling you, that's not a normal girl!" said Ron, leaning sideways so he could keep a clear view of her. "They don't make them like that at Hogwarts!" **

"**They make them okay at Hogwarts," said Harry without thinking. Cho happened to be sitting only a few places away from the girl with the silvery hair. **

Harry wisely avoided Ginny's gaze.

"**When you've both put your eyes back in," said Hermione briskly, "you'll be able to see who's just arrived." **

"Who?" Sirius asked.

"If you'll shut up-" Remus began.

"And let you read. OK, fine." Sirius finished, sticking his tongue out at Remus, who rolled his eyes.

**She was pointing up at the staff table. The two remaining empty seats had just been filled. Ludo Bagman was now sitting on Professor Karkaroff's other side, while Mr. Crouch, Percy's boss, was next to Madame Maxime. **

"**What are they doing here?" said Harry in surprise. **

"**They organized the Triwizard Tournament, didn't they?" said Hermione. "I suppose they wanted to be here to see it start." **

**When the second course arrived they noticed a number of unfamiliar desserts too. Ron examined an odd sort of pale blancmange closely, then moved it carefully a few inches to his right, so that it would be clearly visible from the Ravenclaw table. The girl who looked like a veela appeared to have eaten enough, however, and did not come over to get it. **

**Once the golden plates had been wiped clean, Dumbledore stood up again. A pleasant sort of tension seemed to fill the Hall now. Harry felt a slight thrill of excitement, wondering what was coming. Several seats down from them, Fred and George were leaning forward, staring at Dumbledore with great concentration. **

"**The moment has come," said Dumbledore, smiling around at the sea of upturned faces. "The Triwizard Tournament is about to start.**

Sirius and James both leaned up, eager to find out who was participating.

Lily gave Harry a worried expression, having a bad feeling about all this.

** I would like to say a few words of explanation before we bring in the casket —" **

Most of the room looked confused.

"**The what?" Harry muttered. **

**Ron shrugged. **

"— **just to clarify the procedure that we will be following this year. But first, let me introduce, for those who do not know them, Mr. Bartemius Crouch, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation" - there was a smattering of polite applause - "and Mr. Ludo Bagman, Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports." **

**There was a much louder round of applause for Bagman than for Crouch, perhaps because of his fame as a Beater, or simply because he looked so much more likable. He acknowledged it with a jovial wave of his hand. Bartemius Crouch did not smile or wave when his name was announced. Remembering him in his neat suit at the Quidditch World Cup, Harry thought he looked strange in wizard's robes. His toothbrush mustache and severe parting looked very odd next to Dumbledore's long white hair and beard. **

"I bet." James chuckled.

"**Mr. Bagman and Mr. Crouch have worked tirelessly over the last few months on the arrangements for the Triwizard Tournament," Dumbledore continued, "and they will be joining myself, Professor Karkaroff, and Madame Maxime on the panel that will judge the champions' efforts." **

**At the mention of the word "champions," the attentiveness of the listening students seemed to sharpen. Perhaps Dumbledore had noticed their sudden stillness, for he smiled as he said, "The casket, then, if you please, Mr. Filch." **

**Filch, who had been lurking unnoticed in a far corner of the Hall, now approached Dumbledore carrying a great wooden chest encrusted with jewels. It looked extremely old. A murmur of excited interest rose from the watching students; Dennis Creevey actually stood on his chair to see it properly, but, being so tiny, his head hardly rose above anyone else's. **

"**The instructions for the tasks the champions will face this year have already been examined by Mr. Crouch and Mr. Bagman," said Dumbledore as Filch placed the chest carefully on the table before him, "and they have made the necessary arrangements for each challenge. There will be three tasks, spaced throughout the school year, and they will test the champions in many different ways…their magical prowess - their daring - their powers of deduction - and, of course, their ability to cope with danger." **

**At this last word, the Hall was filled with a silence so absolute that nobody seemed to be breathing. **

"**As you know, three champions compete in the tournament," Dumbledore went on calmly, "one from each of the participating schools.**

"Na-uh." Ginny muttered quietly.

** They will be marked on how well they perform each of the Tournament tasks and the champion with the highest total after task three will win the Triwizard Cup. The champions will be chosen by an impartial selector: the Goblet of Fire."**

"What?" Peter asked.

Remus shot him a glare and went back to reading.

**Dumbledore now took out his wand and tapped three times upon the top of the casket. The lid creaked slowly open. Dumbledore reached inside it and pulled out a large, roughly hewn wooden cup. It would have been entirely unremarkable had it not been full to the brim with dancing blue-white flames. Dumbledore closed the casket and placed the goblet carefully on top of it, where it would be clearly visible to everyone in the Hall. **

"At least Dennis can see now." James said.

"**Anybody wishing to submit themselves as champion must write their name and school clearly upon a slip of parchment and drop it into the goblet," said Dumbledore. "Aspiring champions have twenty-four hours in which to put their names forward. Tomorrow night, Halloween, the goblet will return the names of the three it has judged most worthy to represent their schools. The goblet will be placed in the entrance hall tonight, where it will be freely accessible to all those wishing to compete. **

"**To ensure that no underage student yields to temptation," said Dumbledore, "I will be drawing an Age Line around the Goblet of Fire once it has been placed in the entrance hall. Nobody under the age of seventeen will be able to cross this line. **

Lily let out a sigh of relief, Harry couldn't enter.

"**Finally, I wish to impress upon any of you wishing to compete that this tournament is not to be entered into lightly. Once a champion has been selected by the Goblet of Fire, he or she is obliged to see the tournament through to the end. **

Harry winced, thinking how literal that term had been for Cedric.

**The placing of your name in the goblet constitutes a binding, magical contract. There can be no change of heart once you have become a champion. Please be very sure, therefore, that you are wholeheartedly prepared to play before you drop your name into the goblet. Now, I think it is time for bed. Good night to you all." **

"**An Age Line!" Fred Weasley said, his eyes glinting, as they all made their way across the Hall to the doors into the entrance hall. "Well, that should be fooled by an Aging Potion, shouldn't it? And once your name's in that goblet, you're laughing - it can't tell whether you're seventeen or not!" **

"If it's drawn by Dumbledore it can." Ron said.

"**But I don't think anyone under seventeen will stand a chance," said Hermione, "we just haven't learned enough…" **

"**Speak for yourself," said George shortly. "You'll try and get in, won't you, Harry?" **

"Hell no, he won't." James said, using a strict tone.

Lily considered hitting him with a stinging hex but decided against it.

**Harry thought briefly of Dumbledore's insistence that nobody under seventeen should submit their name, but then the wonderful picture of himself winning the Triwizard Tournament filled his mind again…He wondered how angry Dumbledore would be if someone younger than seventeen did find a way to get over the Age Line. **

"**Where is he?" said Ron, who wasn't listening to a word of this conversation, but looking through the crowd to see what had become of Krum. "Dumbledore didn't say where the Durmstrang people are sleeping, did he?" **

**But this query was answered almost instantly; they were level with the Slytherin table now, and Karkaroff had just bustled up to his students. **

"**Back to the ship, then," he was saying. "Viktor, how are you feeling? Did you eat enough? Should I send for some mulled wine from the kitchens?" **

**Harry saw Krum shake his head as he pulled his furs back on. "Professor, I vood like some vine," said one of the other Durmstrang boys hopefully. **

"**I wasn't offering it to you, Poliakoff," snapped Karkaroff, **

"Only the Quidditch Star gets wine." Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

**his warmly paternal air vanishing in an instant. "I notice you have dribbled food all down the front of your robes again, disgusting boy -" **

**Karkaroff turned and led his students toward the doors, reaching them at exactly the same moment as Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Harry stopped to let him walk through first. **

"**Thank you," said Karkaroff carelessly, glancing at him. And then Karkaroff froze. He turned his head back to Harry and stared at him as though he couldn't believe his eyes. Behind their headmaster, the students from Durmstrang came to a halt too. Karkaroff's eyes moved slowly up Harry's face and fixed upon his scar. **

James and Lily groaned, "Can't anyone leave you alone?" They asked Harry.

"No, it gets worse."

"Why?

"You'll see."

**The Durmstrang students were staring curiously at Harry too. Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw comprehension dawn on a few of their faces. The boy with food all down his front nudged the girl next to him and pointed openly at Harry's forehead. **

"So _polite_." Sirius said, his voice dripping with sarcasm

"**Yeah, that's Harry Potter," said a growling voice from behind them. **

**Professor Karkaroff spun around. Mad-Eye Moody was standing there, leaning heavily on his staff, his magical eye glaring unblinkingly at the Durmstrang headmaster. **

**The color drained from Karkaroff's face as Harry watched. A terrible look of mingled fury and fear came over him. **

"Wonder what that's all about."

"**You!" he said, staring at Moody as though unsure he was really seeing him. **

"**Me," said Moody grimly. **

Sirius and James grinned.

**"And unless you've got anything to say to Potter, Karkaroff, you might want to move. You're blocking the doorway." **

Everyone in the room cheered for Moody.

**It was true; half the students in the Hall were now waiting behind them, looking over one another's shoulders to see what was causing the holdup. **

**Without another word, Professor Karkaroff swept his students away with him. Moody watched him until he was out of sight, his magical eye fixed upon his back, a look of intense dislike upon his mutilated face. **

**As the next day was Saturday, most students would normally have breakfasted late.**

"Not Sirius." Peter said.

"No, Sirius' stomach usually wakes him up if he's not too tired." James agreed.

Sirius shrugged.

** Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, were not alone in rising much earlier than they usually did on weekends. When they went down into the entrance hall, they saw about twenty people milling around it, some of them eating toast, all examining the Goblet of Fire. It had been placed in the center of the hall on the stool that normally bore the Sorting Hat. A thin golden line had been traced on the floor, forming a circle ten feet around it in every direction. **

"**Anyone put their name in yet?" Ron asked a third-year girl eagerly. **

"**All the Durmstrang lot," she replied. "But I haven't seen anyone from Hogwarts yet." **

"**Bet some of them put it in last night after we'd all gone to bed," said Harry. "I would've if it had been me…wouldn't have wanted everyone watching. What if the goblet just gobbed you right back out again?" **

**Someone laughed behind Harry. Turning, he saw Fred, George, and Lee Jordan hurrying down the staircase, all three of them looking extremely excited. **

"**Done it," Fred said in a triumphant whisper to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. "Just taken it." **

"**What?" said Ron. **

"**The Aging Potion, dung brains," said Fred. **

"**One drop each," said George, rubbing his hands together with glee. "We only need to be a few months older." **

"**We're going to split the thousand Galleons between the three of us if one of us wins," said Lee, grinning broadly.**

Harry smiled slightly, remembering what he had done with the money.

"**I'm not sure this is going to work, you know," said Hermione warningly. "I'm sure Dumbledore will have thought of this." **

**Fred, George, and Lee ignored her. **

"**Ready?" Fred said to the other two, quivering with excitement. "C'mon, then - I'll go first -" **

**Harry watched, fascinated, as Fred pulled a slip of parchment out of his pocket bearing the words Fred Weasley - Hogwarts. Fred walked right up to the edge of the line and stood there, rocking on his toes like a diver preparing for a fifty-foot drop. Then, with the eyes of every person in the entrance hall upon him, he took a great breath and stepped over the line. **

**For a split second Harry thought it had worked - George certainly thought so, for he let out a yell of triumph and leapt after Fred - but next moment, there was a loud sizzling sound, and both twins were hurled out of the golden circle as though they had been thrown by an invisible shot-putter.**

"Huh?"

"Muggle thing." Remus explained.

** They landed painfully, ten feet away on the cold stone floor, and to add insult to injury, there was a loud popping noise, and both of them sprouted identical long white beards. **

James and Sirius laughed and the later added this to his pranking list.

"Dumbledore's a genius."

**The entrance hall rang with laughter. Even Fred and George joined in, once they had gotten to their feet and taken a good look at each other's beards. **

"**I did warn you," said a deep, amused voice, and everyone turned to see Professor Dumbledore coming out of the Great Hall. He surveyed Fred and George, his eyes twinkling. "I suggest you both go up to Madam Pomfrey. She is already tending to Miss Fawcett, of Ravenclaw, and Mr. Summers, of Hufflepuff, both of whom decided to age themselves up a little too. Though I must say, neither of their beards is anything like as fine as yours." **

Everyone now burst into laughter, even Seth was snickering.

**Fred and George set off for the hospital wing, accompanied by Lee, who was howling with laughter, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione, also chortling, went in to breakfast. **

**The decorations in the Great Hall had changed this morning. As it was Halloween,**

"Ever noticed how a lot of bad things have happened on Halloween?" Harry said to the people from his time.

The others thought for a moment, "Yeah."

** a cloud of live bats was fluttering around the enchanted ceiling, while hundreds of carved pumpkins leered from every corner. Harry led the way over to Dean and Seamus, who were discussing those Hogwarts students of seventeen or over who might be entering. **

"**There's a rumor going around that Warrington got up early and put his name in," Dean told Harry. "That big bloke from Slytherin who looks like a sloth." **

**Harry, who had played Quidditch against Warrington, shook his head in disgust. **

"**We can't have a Slytherin champion!" **

"**And all the Hufflepuffs are talking about Diggory," said Seamus contemptuously. **

"**But I wouldn't have thought he'd have wanted to risk his good looks."**

James snickered, "Pretty-Boy Diggory." He muttered.

"**Listen!" said Hermione suddenly. **

**People were cheering out in the entrance hall. They all swiveled around in their seats and saw Angelina Johnson coming into the Hall, grinning in an embarrassed sort of way. A tall black girl who played Chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Angelina came over to them, sat down, and said, "Well, I've done it! Just put my name in!" **

"**You're kidding!" said Ron, looking impressed. **

"**Are you seventeen, then?" asked Harry. **

"**Course she is, can't see a beard, can you?" said Ron. **

"**I had my birthday last week," said Angelina. **

"**Well, I'm glad someone from Gryffindor's entering," said Hermione. "I really hope you get it, Angelina!" **

"**Thanks, Hermione," said Angelina, smiling at her. **

"**Yeah, better you than Pretty-Boy Diggory,"**

James looked surprised.

** said Seamus, causing several Hufflepuffs passing their table to scowl heavily at him. **

"**What're we going to do today, then?" Ron asked Harry and Hermione when they had finished breakfast and were leaving the Great Hall. **

"**We haven't been down to visit Hagrid yet," said Harry.**

"Good idea Harry."

"**Okay," said Ron, "just as long as he doesn't ask us to donate a few fingers to the skrewts." **

**A look of great excitement suddenly dawned on Hermione's face. **

"**I've just realized - I haven't asked Hagrid to join S.P.E.W. yet!"**

"Oh, no."

** she said brightly. **

"**Wait for me, will you, while I nip upstairs and get the badges?" **

"**What is it with her?" said Ron, exasperated, as Hermione ran away up the marble staircase. **

"**Hey, Ron," said Harry suddenly. "It's your friend…" **

**The students from Beauxbatons were coming through the front doors from the grounds, among them, the veela-girl. **

"Merlin." Lily muttered.

**Those gathered around the Goblet of Fire stood back to let them pass, watching eagerly. **

**Madame Maxime entered the hall behind her students and organized them into a line. One by one, the Beauxbatons students stepped across the Age Line and dropped their slips of parchment into the blue-white flames. As each name entered the fire, it turned briefly red and emitted sparks. **

"**What d'you reckon'll happen to the ones who aren't chosen?" Ron muttered to Harry as the veela-girl dropped her parchment into the Goblet of Fire. "Reckon they'll go back to school, or hang around to watch the tournament?" **

"**Dunno," said Harry. "Hang around, I suppose…Madame Maxime's staying to judge, isn't she?" **

**When all the Beauxbatons students had submitted their names, Madame Maxime led them back out of the hall and out onto the grounds again. **

"**Where are they sleeping, then?" said Ron, moving toward the front doors and staring after them. **

**A loud rattling noise behind them announced Hermione's reappearance with the box of S.P.E.W. badges. **

"**Oh good, hurry up," said Ron, and he jumped down the stone steps, keeping his eyes on the back of the veela-girl, who was now halfway across the lawn with Madame Maxime. **

**As they neared Hagrid's cabin on the edge of the Forbidden Forest, the mystery of the Beauxbatons' sleeping quarters was solved. The gigantic powder-blue carriage in which they had arrived had been parked two hundred yards from Hagrid's front door, and the students were climbing back inside it. The elephantine flying horses that had pulled the carriage were now grazing in a makeshift paddock alongside it. Harry knocked on Hagrid's door, and Fang's booming barks answered instantly. **

"**Bout time!" said Hagrid, when he'd flung open the door. "Thought you lot'd forgotten where I live!" **

"You should've visited sooner." James said.

"We got to Hagrid's all the time." Sirius agreed.

"**We've been really busy, Hag -" Hermione started to say, but then she stopped dead, looking up at Hagrid, apparently lost for words. **

**Hagrid was wearing his best (and very horrible) hairy brown suit, plus a checked yellow-and-orange tie. **

Sirius tried to picture this but found it difficult so he conjured a picture.

"Merlin, look at his _hair_." He said, passing the picture around.

**This wasn't the worst of it, though; he had evidently tried to tame his hair, using large quantities of what appeared to be axle grease. It was now slicked down into two bunches - perhaps he had tried a ponytail like Bill's, but found he had too much hair. The look didn't really suit Hagrid at all. For a moment, Hermione goggled at him, then, obviously deciding not to comment, she said, "Erm - where are the skrewts." **

"**Out by the pumpkin patch," said Hagrid happily. "They're get-tin' massive, mus' be nearly three foot long now. On'y trouble is, they've started killin' each other." **

"**Oh no, really?" said Hermione, shooting a repressive look at Ron, who, staring at Hagrid's odd hairstyle, had just opened his mouth to say something about it. **

"**Yeah," said Hagrid sadly. "S' okay, though, I've got 'em in separate boxes now. Still got abou' twenty." **

"**Well, that's lucky," said Ron. Hagrid missed the sarcasm. **

"Good."

**Hagrid's cabin comprised a single room, in one corner of which was a gigantic bed covered in a patchwork quilt. A similarly enormous wooden table and chairs stood in front of the fire beneath the quantity of cured hams and dead birds hanging from the ceiling. They sat down at the table while Hagrid started to make tea, and were soon immersed in yet more discussion of the Triwizard Tournament. Hagrid seemed quite as excited about it as they were. **

"**You wait," he said, grinning. "You jus' wait. Yer going ter see some stuff yeh've never seen before. Firs' task…ah, but I'm not supposed ter say." **

"Animal related." Lily guessed.

"I say it has to do something with dragons." Sirius said dreamily.

"**Go on, Hagrid!" Harry, Ron, and Hermione urged him, but he just shook his head, grinning. **

"**I don' want ter spoil it fer yeh," said Hagrid. "But it's gonna be spectacular, I'll tell yeh that. Them champions're going ter have their work cut out. Never thought I'd live ter see the Triwizard Tournament played again!" **

**They ended up having lunch with Hagrid, though they didn't eat much – Hagrid had made what he said was a beef casserole, but after Hermione unearthed a large talon in hers,**

"Yeah, _never _eat Hagrid's cooking." Sirius mumbled, shivering.

"-And this is coming from a guy that will eat just about anything so you know it has to be bad." Remus joked.

Sirius threw a few stress balls at him, which Remus deflected with the book.

** she, Harry, and Ron rather lost their appetites. However, they enjoyed themselves trying to make Hagrid tell them what the tasks in the tournament were going to be, speculating which of the entrants were likely to be selected as champions, and wondering whether Fred and George were beardless yet. A light rain had started to fall by midafternoon; it was very cozy sitting by the fire, listening to the gentle patter of the drops on the window, watching Hagrid darning his socks and arguing with Hermione about house-elves - for he flatly refused to join S.P.E.W. when she showed him her badges. **

"**It'd be doin' 'em an unkindness, Hermione," he said gravely, threading a massive bone needle with thick yellow yarn. "It's in their nature ter look after humans, that's what they like, see? Yeh'd be makin' 'em unhappy ter take away their work, an' insutin' 'em if yeh tried ter pay 'em." **

"Exactly." Sirius said.

Hermione and Ginny glared at him and he whimpered.

"**But Harry set Dobby free, and he was over the moon about it!" said Hermione. "And we heard he's asking for wages now!" **

"**Yeah, well, yeh get weirdos in every breed.**

"That's a little harsh." Sirius mumbled, still getting glared at.

** I'm not sayin' there isn't the odd elf who'd take freedom, but yeh'll never persuade most of 'em ter do it - no, nothin' doin', Hermione." **

**Hermione looked very cross indeed and stuffed her box of badges back into her cloak pocket. **

**By half past five it was growing dark, and Ron, Harry, and Hermione decided it was time to get back up to the castle for the Halloween feast - and, more important, the announcement of the school champions. **

Lily looked nervous, having a bad feeling about it still, even though sh _knew _Harry couldn't have entered.

James sensed she was worried and comfortingly wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer.

"**I'll come with yeh," said Hagrid, putting away his darning. "Jus' give us a sec." **

**Hagrid got up, went across to the chest of drawers beside his bed, and began searching for something inside it. They didn't pay too much attention until a truly horrible smell reached their nostrils. Coughing, Ron said, "Hagrid, what's that?" **

"**Eh?" said Hagrid, turning around with a large bottle in his hand. "Don' yeh like it?" **

"**Is that aftershave?" said Hermione in a slightly choked voice. **

"**Er - eau de cologne," Hagrid muttered. He was blushing. "Maybe it's a bit much," he said gruffly. "I'll go take it off, hang on…" **

**He stumped out of the cabin, and they saw him washing himself vigorously in the water barrel outside the window. **

"**Eau de cologne?" said Hermione in amazement. "Hagrid?" **

"**And what's with the hair and the suit?" said Harry in an undertone. **

"**Look!" said Ron suddenly, pointing out of the window. Hagrid had just straightened up and turned 'round. If he had been blushing before, it was nothing to what he was doing now. Getting to their feet very cautiously, so that Hagrid wouldn't spot them, Harry, Ron, and Hermione peered through the window and saw that Madame Maxime and the Beauxbatons students had just emerged from their carriage, clearly about to set off for the feast too. They couldn't hear what Hagrid was saying, but he was talking to Madame Maxime with a rapt, misty-eyed expression Harry had only ever seen him wear once before - when he had been looking at the baby dragon, Norbert. **

"Hagrid likes Maxime." Sirius sing-songed.

"**He's going up to the castle with her!" said Hermione indignantly. "I thought he was waiting for us!" **

**Without so much as a backward glance at his cabin, Hagrid was trudging off up the grounds with Madame Maxime, the Beaux-batons students following in their wake, jogging to keep up with their enormous strides. **

"**He fancies her!" said Ron incredulously. "Well, if they end up having children, they'll be setting a world record - bet any baby of theirs would weigh about a ton." **

**They let themselves out of the cabin and shut the door behind them. It was surprisingly dark outside. Drawing their cloaks more closely around themselves, they set off up the sloping lawns. **

"**Ooh it's them, look!" Hermione whispered. **

**The Durmstrang party was walking up toward the castle from the lake. Viktor Krum was walking side by side with Karkaroff, and the other Durmstrang students were straggling along behind them. Ron watched Krum excitedly, but Krum did not look around as he reached the front doors a little ahead of Hermione, Ron, and Harry and proceeded through them. **

**When they entered the candlelit Great Hall it was almost full. The Goblet of Fire had been moved; it was now standing in front of Dumbledore's empty chair at the teachers' table. Fred and George - clean-shaven again - seemed to have taken their disappointment fairly well. **

"**Hope it's Angelina," said Fred as Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat down. **

"**So do I!" said Hermione breathlessly. "Well, we'll soon know!" **

**The Halloween feast seemed to take much longer than usual. Perhaps because it was their second feast in two days, Harry didn't seem to fancy the extravagantly prepared food as much as he would have normally. **

"What?!" Sirius cried.

"Padfoot, we don't all love food as much as you." Remus said.

Sirius, knowing Remus would just catch it, waited until Remus was about to start reading again before he threw another stress ball.

Remus caught it, "Nice try, Sirius."

"Damn werewolf reflexes."

Lily hit him with a stinging hex, making Sirius yelp with pain and surprise.

**Like everyone else in the Hall, judging by the constantly craning necks, the impatient expressions on every face, the fidgeting, and the standing up to see whether Dumbledore had finished eating yet, Harry simply wanted the plates to clear, and to hear who had been selected as champions. **

Sirius looked at Harry like he was insane.

**At long last, the golden plates returned to their original spotless state; there was a sharp upswing in the level of noise within the Hall, which died away almost instantly as Dumbledore got to his feet.**

Nearly everyone leaned toward Remus, except Lily who remained in James' arms (And James obviously.), excited to hear about the champions.

** On either side of him, Professor Karkaroff and Madame Maxime looked as tense and expectant as anyone. Ludo Bagman was beaming and winking at various students. Mr. Crouch, however, looked quite uninterested, almost bored. **

"**Well, the goblet is almost ready to make its decision," said Dumbledore. "I estimate that it requires one more minute. Now, when the champions' names are called, I would ask them please to come up to the top of the Hall, walk along the staff table, and go through into the next chamber" - he indicated the door behind the staff table - "where they will be receiving their first instructions." **

"Isn't that the trophy room?"

**He took out his wand and gave a great sweeping wave with it; at once, all the candles except those inside the carved pumpkins were extinguished, plunging them into a state of semidarkness. **

**The Goblet of Fire now shone more brightly than anything in the whole Hall, the sparkling bright, bluey-whiteness of the flames almost painful on the eyes. Everyone watched, waiting…A few people kept checking their watches… **

"**Any second," Lee Jordan whispered, two seats away from Harry. **

**The flames inside the goblet turned suddenly red again. Sparks began to fly from it. Next moment, a tongue of flame shot into the air, a charred piece of parchment fluttered out of it - the whole room gasped. **

**Dumbledore caught the piece of parchment and held it at arm's length, so that he could read it by the light of the flames, which had turned back to blue-white. **

"**The champion for Durmstrang," he read, in a strong, clear voice, "will be Viktor Krum." **

"No surprises their." Sirius said.

"**No surprises there!" yelled Ron**

Sirius groaned.

** as a storm of applause and cheering swept the Hall. Harry saw Viktor Krum rise from the Slytherin table and slouch up toward Dumbledore; he turned right, walked along the staff table, and disappeared through the door into the next chamber. **

"**Bravo, Viktor!" boomed Karkaroff, so loudly that everyone could hear him, even over all the applause. "Knew you had it in you!" **

**The clapping and chatting died down. Now everyone's attention was focused again on the goblet, which, seconds later, turned red once more. A second piece of parchment shot out of it, propelled by the flames. **

"**The champion for Beauxbatons," said Dumbledore, "is Fleur Delacour!" **

"**It's her, Ron!" Harry shouted as the girl who so resembled a veela got gracefully to her feet, shook back her sheet of silvery blonde hair, and swept up between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff tables. **

"**Oh look, they're all disappointed," Hermione said over the noise, nodding toward the remainder of the Beauxbatons party. "Disappointed" was a bit of an understatement, Harry thought. Two of the girls who had not been selected had dissolved into tears and were sobbing with their heads on their arms. **

"Jeez, it's not that big a deal." Lily said.

**When Fleur Delacour too had vanished into the side chamber, silence fell again, but this time it was a silence so stiff with excitement you could almost taste it. The Hogwarts champion next… **

**And the Goblet of Fire turned red once more; sparks showered out of it; the tongue of flame shot high into the air, and from its tip Dumbledore pulled the third piece of parchment. **

"**The Hogwarts champion," he called, "is Cedric Diggory!" **

"Nooooo!" James cried in agony.

"**No!" said Ron loudly, but nobody heard him except Harry; the uproar from the next table was too great. Every single Hufflepuff had jumped to his or her feet, screaming and stamping, as Cedric made his way past them, grinning broadly, and headed off toward the chamber behind the teachers' table. Indeed, the applause for Cedric went on so long that it was some time before Dumbledore could make himself heard again. **

"**Excellent!" Dumbledore called happily as at last the tumult died down. "Well, we now have our three champions. I am sure I can count upon all of you, including the remaining students from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, to give your champions every ounce of support you can muster. By cheering your champion on, you will contribute in a very real —" **

**But Dumbledore suddenly stopped speaking, and it was apparent to everybody what had distracted him. **

Sirius was going to ask what but knew he would find out faster if he stayed quiet.

**The fire in the goblet had just turned red again. Sparks were flying out of it. A long flame shot suddenly into the air, and borne upon it was another piece of parchment. **

**Automatically, it seemed, Dumbledore reached out a long hand and seized the parchment. **

Harry glanced worriedly at his mother, and seated himself as far away as possible.

**He held it out and stared at the name written upon it. There was a long pause, during which Dumbledore stared at the slip in his hands, and everyone in the room stared at Dumbledore. And then Dumbledore cleared his throat and read out - "Harry Potter." **

"WHAT?!" James shouted, outraged, "Harry's underage, he can't enter!"

"I knew it." Lily moaned, "I knew something bad was going to happen.

James seemed to be hyperventilating at this point.

"Prongs!" Sirius said, muttering a spell under his breath to slow James' breathing some.

"Thanks." James gasped.

Lily now glared at Harry, "You said you didn't enter."

"I didn't." Harry said, looking slightly afraid as Lily's anger steadily rose.

"Then why did the cup tell Dumbledore your name?" She shouted.

"Someone else put my name in, I didn't do it."

James' breathing was now completely back to normal and he said, "Lily, Harry didn't do it, calm down a bit so we can keep reading and find out what happened."

Lily sighed, "Fine."

After Remus, Sirius, Ginny, Hermione and Ron stopped laughing, Remus handed the book to Sirius.

**A/N: Sorry for the LONG gap in updating. Honestly, here recently, there hasn't been a time when I'm on the internet that I'm NOT busy. I recently descovered the vlogbrothers, Hank and John Green, (Hoo-Ha Nerdfighters!) and I had to catch up on all 300 and something of there videos which average about 3 minutes each.**

**There is also a new Harvest Moon game coming out for Wii (Exciting Animal March) that I've been researching.**

**Oh, and for those of you who like Aerosmith, they're supposed to have a new CD out sometime this Spring.**

**And, of course, I've been playing toontown. I've mainly been playing my black cat, Sneeze and my blue dog, Bubbles the Nerdfighting Pup. Does anyone else play toontown? I could become your friend or something...**

**As always, PLEASE REVIEW. They inspire me to write more.  
**


	18. The Four Champions

**CHAPTER SEVENTEEN  
THE FOUR CHAMPIONS**

Lily glared from the book to Harry and back.

"Lily, I doubt Dumbledore will let him compete, he's not the right age and it's dangerous." James said reasonably, trying to calm Lily down some.

**Harry sat there, aware that every head in the Great Hall had turned to look at him. He was stunned. He felt numb. He was surely dreaming. He had not heard correctly.**

"I wish." Lily and James mumbled at the same time.

**There was no applause. A buzzing, as though of angry bees, was starting to fill the Hall; some students were standing up to get a better look at Harry as he sat, frozen, in his seat. Up at the top table, Professor McGonagall had got to her feet and swept past Ludo Bagman and Professor Karkaroff to whisper urgently to Professor Dumbledore, who bent his ear toward her, frowning slightly. Harry turned to Ron and Hermione; beyond them, he saw the long Gryffindor table all watching him, openmouthed.**

**"I didn't put my name in," Harry said blankly. "You know I didn't."**

**Both of them stared just as blankly back.**

"Has everyone gone mad?" James asked.

"Not quite." Sirius said, reading ahead.

**At the top table, Professor Dumbledore had straightened up, nodding to Professor McGonagall.**

**"Harry Potter!" he called again. "Harry! Up here, if you please!"**

"He _better _tell Harry he can't compete." James muttered.

The people from the future felt _very _sorry for Dumbledore.

**"Go on," Hermione whispered, giving Harry a slight push.**

**Harry got to his feet, trod on the hem of his robes, and stumbled slightly.**

"Oh, Harry." Lily said.

** He set off up the gap between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff tables. It felt like an immensely long walk; the top table didn't seem to be getting any nearer at all, and he could feel hundreds and hundreds of eyes upon him, as though each were a searchlight. The buzzing grew louder and louder. After what seemed like an hour, he was right in front of Dumbledore, feeling the stares of all the teachers upon him.**

**"Well…through the door, Harry," said Dumbledore. **

James and Lily had expressions on their faces that mingled anger and fear.

**He wasn't smiling. Harry moved off along the teachers' table. Hagrid was seated right at the end. He did not wink at Harry, or wave, or give any of his usual signs of greeting. He looked completely astonished and stared at Harry as he passed like everyone else.**

Lily huffed.

**Harry went through the door out of the Great Hall and found himself in a smaller room, lined with paintings of witches and wizards. A handsome fire was roaring in the fireplace opposite him. The faces in the portraits turned to look at him as he entered. He saw a wizened witch flit out of the frame of her picture and into the one next to it, which contained a wizard with a walrus mustache. The wizened witch started whispering in his ear.**

**Viktor Krum, Cedric Diggory, and Fleur Delacour were grouped around the fire. They looked strangely impressive, silhouetted against the flames. Krum, hunched up and brooding, was leaning against the mantelpiece, slightly apart from the other two. Cedric was standing with his hands behind his back, staring into the fire.**

**Fleur Delacour looked around when Harry walked in and threw back her sheet of long, silvery hair.**

Sirius put on a fake french accent to read Fleur's lines, making the others laugh.

**"What is it?" she said. "Do zey want us back in ze Hall?"**

**She thought he had come to deliver a message. **

"Sadly, no." James sighed.

**Harry didn't know how to explain what had just happened. He just stood there, looking at the three champions. It struck him how very tall all of them were.**

**There was a sound of scurrying feet behind him, and Ludo Bagman entered the room. He took Harry by the arm and led him forward.**

**"Extraordinary!" he muttered, squeezing Harry's arm. "Absolutely extraordinary! Gentlemen…lady," he added, approaching the fireside and addressing the other three. "May I introduce - incredible though it may seem - the fourth Triwizard champion?"**

"They aren't going to be happy." Peter mumbled.

**Viktor Krum straightened up. His surly face darkened as he surveyed Harry. Cedric looked nonplussed. He looked from Bagman to Harry and back again as though sure he must have misheard what Bagman had said. Fleur Delacour, however, tossed her hair, smiling, and said, "Oh, vairy funny joke, Meester Bagman."**

**"Joke?" Bagman repeated, bewildered. "No, no, not at all! Harry's name just came out of the Goblet of Fire!"**

**Krum's thick eyebrows contracted slightly. Cedric was still looking politely bewildered. Fleur frowned.**

**"But evidently zair 'as been a mistake," she said contemptuously to Bagman. "E cannot compete. 'E is too young."**

"Exactly." Lily agreed.

**"Well…it is amazing," said Bagman, rubbing his smooth chin and smiling down at Harry. "But, as you know, the age restriction was only imposed this year as an extra safety measure. And as his name's come out of the goblet…I mean, I don't think there can be any ducking out at this stage…It's down in the rules, you're obliged…Harry will just have to do the best he —"**

"WHAT?!" Lily and James both yelled.

"He's going to let him compete?" James asked, furious.

**The door behind them opened again, and a large group of people came in: Professor Dumbledore, followed closely by Mr. Crouch, Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Snape. Harry heard the buzzing of the hundreds of students on the other side of the wall, before Professor McGonagall closed the door.**

**"Madame Maxime!" said Fleur at once, striding over to her headmistress. "Zey are saying zat zis little boy is to compete also!"**

**Somewhere under Harry's numb disbelief he felt a ripple of anger. Little boy?**

"Don't protest, Harry!" Lily shouted, glaring at present-day (future?) Harry.

** Madame Maxime had drawn herself up to her full, and considerable, height. The top of her handsome head brushed the candle-filled chandelier, and her gigantic black-satin bosom swelled.**

**"What is ze meaning of zis, Dumbly-dorr?" she said imperiously.**

**"I'd rather like to know that myself, Dumbledore," said Professor Karkaroff. He was wearing a steely smile, and his blue eyes were like chips of ice. "Two Hogwarts champions? I don't remember anyone telling me the host school is allowed two champions – or have I not read the rules carefully enough?"**

**He gave a short and nasty laugh.**

"Of course, he thinks he's being cheated." Lily growled.

James now snatched Sirius' revenge list and began scribbling on it furiously.

**"C'est impossible," said Madame Maxime, whose enormous hand with its many superb opals was resting upon Fleur's shoulder. "Ogwarts cannot 'ave two champions. It is most injust."**

**"We were under the impression that your Age Line would keep out younger contestants, Dumbledore," said Karkaroff, his steely smile still in place, though his eyes were colder than ever. "Otherwise, we would, of course, have brought along a wider selection of candidates from our own schools."**

**"It's no one's fault but Potter's, Karkaroff," said Snape softly. **

Sirius growled and James began scribbling faster.

**His black eyes were alight with malice. "Don't go blaming Dumbledore for Potter's determination to break rules. He has been crossing lines ever since he arrived here -"**

"Shut up, Snape." Lily spat.

The Marauders all gave her a shocked expression, and then laughed.

**"Thank you, Severus," said Dumbledore firmly, and Snape went quiet, though his eyes still glinted malevolently **

"Huh?" Sirius asked.

"Wishing evil or harm to a person or people." Remus quickly explained.

**through his curtain of greasy black hair.**

**Professor Dumbledore was now looking down at Harry, who looked right back at him, trying to discern the expression of the eyes behind the half-moon spectacles.**

**"Did you put your name into the Goblet of Fire, Harry?" he asked calmly.**

"No." James said.

"Is your name Harry?" Sirius asked.

James glared at him while the others laughed.

**"No," said Harry. He was very aware of everybody watching him closely. Snape made a soft noise of impatient disbelief in the shadows.**

Ginny glared at the book, making Sirius wince.

**"Did you ask an older student to put it into the Goblet of Fire for you?" said Professor Dumbledore, ignoring Snape.**

**"No," said Harry vehemently.**

**"Ah, but of course 'e is lying!" cried Madame Maxime. Snape was now shaking his head, his lip curling.**

**"He could not have crossed the Age Line," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "I am sure we are all agreed on that -"**

**"Dumbly-dorr must 'ave made a mistake wiz ze line," said Madame Maxime, shrugging.**

**"It is possible, of course," said Dumbledore politely.**

"He didn't make a mistake." Remus said.

**"Dumbledore, you know perfectly well you did not make a mistake!" said Professor McGonagall angrily. "Really, what nonsense! Harry could not have crossed the line himself, and as Professor Dumbledore believes that he did not persuade an older student to do it for him, I'm sure that should be good enough for everybody else!"**

**She shot a very angry look at Professor Snape.**

The Marauders cheered McGonagall on.

**"Mr. Crouch…Mr. Bagman," said Karkaroff, his voice unctuous once more, "you are our - er - objective judges. Surely you will agree that this is most irregular?"**

**Bagman wiped his round, boyish face with his handkerchief and looked at Mr. Crouch, who was standing outside the circle of the firelight, his face half hidden in shadow. He looked slightly eerie, the half darkness making him look much older, giving him an almost skull-like appearance. When he spoke, however, it was in his usual curt voice.**

**"We must follow the rules, and the rules state clearly that those people whose names come out of the Goblet of Fire are bound to compete in the tournament."**

"Damnit, Crouch, can't you break the rules for once?" James growled.

Lily glared at him, "Language, James."

Sirius and Seth snickered.

**"Well, Barty knows the rule book back to front," said Bagman, beaming and turning back to Karkaroff and Madame Maxime, as though the matter was now closed.**

"No." James whimpered.

**"I insist upon resubmitting the names of the rest of my students," said Karkaroff. He had dropped his unctuous tone and his smile now. His face wore a very ugly look indeed. "You will set up the Goblet of Fire once more, and we will continue adding names until each school has two champions. It's only fair, Dumbledore."**

**"But Karkaroff, it doesn't work like that," said Bagman. "The Goblet of Fire's just gone out - it won't reignite until the start of the next tournament -"**

**"- in which Durmstrang will most certainly not be competing!" **

"We're better off without you!" Lily shouted.

**exploded Karkaroff. "After all our meetings and negotiations and compromises, I little expected something of this nature to occur! I have half a mind to leave now!"**

**"Empty threat, Karkaroff," growled a voice from near the door. "You can't leave your champion now. He's got to compete. They've all got to compete. Binding magical contract, like Dumbledore said. Convenient, eh?"**

**Moody had just entered the room. He limped toward the fire, and with every right step he took, there was a loud clunk.**

**"Convenient?" said Karkaroff. "I'm afraid I don't understand you, Moody." Harry could tell he was trying to sound disdainful, as though what Moody was saying was barely worth his notice, but his hands gave him away; they had balled themselves into fists.**

"What's up with them?"

**"Don't you?" said Moody quietly. "It's very simple, Karkaroff. Someone put Potter's name in that goblet knowing he'd have to compete if it came out."**

"He's accusing Karkaroff?" Sirius suggested.

**"Evidently, someone 'oo wished to give 'Ogwarts two bites at ze apple!" said Madame Maxime.**

**"I quite agree, Madame Maxime," said Karkaroff, bowing to her. "I shall be lodging complaints with the Ministry of Magic and the International Confederation of Wizards -"**

**"If anyone's got reason to complain, it's Potter," **

"Exactly! Speak up Harry." James urged.

**growled Moody, "but…funny thing…I don't hear him saying a word…"**

**"Why should 'e complain?" burst out Fleur Delacour, stamping her foot. "E 'as ze chance to compete, 'asn't 'e? We 'ave all been 'oping to be chosen for weeks and weeks! Ze honor for our schools! A thousand Galleons in prize money - zis is a chance many would die for!"**

**"Maybe someone's hoping Potter is going to die for it,"**

"Merlin, Moody sure is optimistic." Remus said sarcastically.

** said Moody, with the merest trace of a growl.**

**An extremely tense silence followed these words. Ludo Bagman, who was looking very anxious indeed, bounced nervously up and down on his feet and said, "Moody, old man…what a thing to say!"**

**"We all know Professor Moody considers the morning wasted if he hasn't discovered six plots to murder him before lunchtime," said Karkaroff loudly. "Apparently he is now teaching his students to fear assassination too. An odd quality in a Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, Dumbledore, but no doubt you had your reasons.**

**"Imagining things, am I?" growled Moody. "Seeing things, eh? It was a skilled witch or wizard who put the boy's name in that goblet…"**

**"Ah, what evidence is zere of zat?" said Madame Maxime, throwing up her huge hands.**

**"Because they hoodwinked a very powerful magical object!" said Moody. "It would have needed an exceptionally strong Confundus Charm to bamboozle that goblet into forgetting that only three schools compete in the tournament…I'm guessing they submitted Potter's name under a fourth school, to make sure he was the only one in his category…"**

**"You seem to have given this a great deal of thought, Moody," said Karkaroff coldly, **

"Oh, shut up, Karkaroff." James snapped, already on edge.

**"and a very ingenious theory it is - though of course, I heard you recently got it into your head that one of your birthday presents contained a cunningly disguised basilisk egg, and smashed it to pieces before realizing it was a carriage clock. So you'll understand if we don't take you entirely seriously…"**

"Of course they wouldn't take him Siriusly, that's me." Sirius said, making the others groan.

**"There are those who'll turn innocent occasions to their advantage," Moody retorted in a menacing voice. "It's my job to think the way Dark wizards do, Karkaroff - as you ought to remember…"**

"Karkaroff was a dark wizard?" Peter asked.

"Seems like it, he was probably a Death Eater." Remus said.

**"Alastor!" said Dumbledore warningly. Harry wondered for a moment whom he was speaking to, but then realized "Mad-Eye" could hardly be Moody's real first name.**

Most everyone laughed, Lily and James simply smiled, to stressed by the chapter to do more.

** Moody fell silent, though still surveying Karkaroff with satisfaction - Karkaroff's face was burning.**

**"How this situation arose, we do not know," said Dumbledore, speaking to everyone gathered in the room. "It seems to me, however, that we have no choice but to accept it. Both Cedric and Harry have been chosen to compete in the Tournament. This, therefore, they will do…"**

"Dumbledore." James whined pathetically.

Sirius snickered and Lily glared at him so, he quickly went back to reading in hopes she would stop.

**"Ah, but Dumbly-dorr -"**

**"My dear Madame Maxime, if you have an alternative, I would be delighted to hear it."**

**Dumbledore waited, but Madame Maxime did not speak, she merely glared. She wasn't the only one either.**

"Tell me about it." Sirius said, glancing at James and Lily.

**Snape looked furious; Karkaroff livid; Bagman, however, looked rather excited.**

"I think he's taken to many bludgers to the head." James muttered.

**"Well, shall we crack on, then?" he said, rubbing his hands together and smiling around the room. "Got to give our champions their instructions, haven't we? Barty, want to do the honors?"**

**Mr. Crouch seemed to come out of a deep reverie.**

**"Yes," he said, "instructions. Yes…the first task…"**

Lily and James exchanged a worried glance and leaned in closer to Sirius as he read on excitedly.

**He moved forward into the firelight. Close up, Harry thought he looked ill. There were dark shadows beneath his eyes and a thin, papery look about his wrinkled skin that had not been there at the Quidditch World Cup.**

**"The first task is designed to test your daring," he told Harry, Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor, "so we are not going to be telling you what it is. **

James groaned.

**Courage in the face of the unknown is an important quality in a wizard…very important.**

**"The first task will take place on November the twenty-fourth, in front of the other students and the panel of judges.**

**"The champions are not permitted to ask for or accept help of any kind from their teachers to complete the tasks in the tournament. The champions will face the first challenge armed only with their wands. They will receive information about the second task when the first is over. Owing to the demanding and time-consuming nature of the tournament, the champions are exempted from end-of-year tests."**

**Mr. Crouch turned to look at Dumbledore.**

**"I think that's all, is it, Albus?"**

**"I think so," said Dumbledore, who was looking at Mr. Crouch with mild concern. "Are you sure you wouldn't like to stay at Hogwarts tonight, Barty?"**

**"No, Dumbledore, I must get back to the Ministry," said Mr. Crouch. "It is a very busy, very difficult time at the moment…I've left young Weatherby in charge**

Everyone laughed.

**…Very enthusiastic…a little overenthusiastic, if truth be told…"**

"Um...yeah." Sirius said, as though this was obvious.

**"You'll come and have a drink before you go, at least?" said Dumbledore.**

**"Come on, Barty, I'm staying!" said Bagman brightly. "It's all happening at Hogwarts now, you know, much more exciting here than at the office!"**

**"I think not, Ludo," said Crouch with a touch of his old impatience.**

**"Professor Karkaroff - Madame Maxime - a nightcap?" said Dumbledore.**

**But Madame Maxime had already put her arm around Fleur's shoulders and was leading her swiftly out of the room. Harry could hear them both talking very fast in French as they went off into the Great Hall. Karkaroff beckoned to Krum, and they, too, exited, though in silence.**

**"Harry, Cedric, I suggest you go up to bed," said Dumbledore, smiling at both of them. "I am sure Gryffindor and Hufflepuff are waiting to celebrate with you, and it would be a shame to deprive them of this excellent excuse to make a great deal of mess and noise."**

"We don't need an excuse." James said proudly.

**Harry glanced at Cedric, who nodded, and they left together.**

**The Great Hall was deserted now; the candles had burned low, giving the jagged smiles of the pumpkins an eerie, flickering quality.**

**"So," said Cedric, with a slight smile. "We're playing against each other again!"**

**"I s'pose," said Harry. He really couldn't think of anything to say. The inside of his head seemed to be in complete disarray, as though his brain had been ransacked.**

**"So…tell me…" said Cedric as they reached the entrance hall, which was now lit only by torches in the absence of the Goblet of Fire. "How did you get your name in?"**

**"I didn't," said Harry, staring up at him. "I didn't put it in. I was telling the truth."**

**"Ah…okay," said Cedric. Harry could tell Cedric didn't believe him. **

James and Sirius growled.

**"Well…see you, then."**

**Instead of going up the marble staircase, Cedric headed for a door to its right. Harry stood listening to him going down the stone steps beyond it, then, slowly, he started to climb the marble ones.**

**Was anyone except Ron and Hermione going to believe him, or would they all think he'd put himself in for the tournament? **

Ron gave Harry an apologetic look.

**Yet how could anyone think that, when he was facing competitors who'd had three years' more magical education than he had - when he was now facing tasks that not only sounded very dangerous, but which were to be performed in front of hundreds of people? Yes, he'd thought about it…he'd fantasized about it…but it had been a joke, really, an idle sort of dream…he'd never really, seriously considered entering..**

**But someone else had considered it…someone else had wanted him in the tournament, and had made sure he was entered. Why? To give him a treat? He didn't think so, somehow…To see him make a fool of himself? Well, they were likely to get their wish…But to get him killed? Was Moody just being his usual paranoid self? **

Lily suddenly gasped.

"What?" James asked.

"What if this has something to do with Voldemort?"(Peter winced)

The room fell silent for a moment before James, running a hand through his already messy hair said, "Merlin, I hope not."

**Couldn't someone have put Harry's name in the goblet as a trick, a practical joke? Did anyone really want him dead?**

**Harry was able to answer that at once. Yes, someone wanted him dead, someone had wanted him dead ever since he had been a year old…Lord Voldemort. **

"No."

**But how could Voldemort have ensured that Harry's name got into the Goblet of Fire? Voldemort was supposed to be far away, in some distant country, in hiding, alone…feeble and powerless…**

"He has followers, Harry." Remus said sadly.

**Yet in that dream he had had, just before he had awoken with his scar hurting, Voldemort had not been alone…he had been talking to Wormtail…plotting Harry's murder.**

"If you put Harry's name in the Goblet, Wormtail..." James said, letting the threat hang.

"I'll kill future you." Sirius growled.

Peter whimpered.

"Leave him alone, that's his future self, hopefully he won't act like this after we finish the series." Remus said.

**Harry got a shock to find himself facing the Fat Lady already. He had barely noticed where his feet were carrying him. It was also a surprise to see that she was not alone in her frame. The wizened witch who had flitted into her neighbor's painting when he had joined the champions downstairs was now sitting smugly beside the Fat Lady. She must have dashed through every picture lining seven staircases to reach here before him. Both she and the Fat Lady were looking down at him with the keenest interest.**

**"Well, well, well," said the Fat Lady, "Violet's just told me everything. Who's just been chosen as school champion, then?"**

**"Balderdash," said Harry dully.**

**"It most certainly isn't!" said the pale witch indignantly.**

**"No, no, Vi, it's the password," said the Fat Lady soothingly, and she swung forward on her hinges to let Harry into the common room.**

**The blast of noise that met Harry's ears when the portrait opened almost knocked him backward. Next thing he knew, he was being wrenched inside the common room by about a dozen**

**pairs of hands, and was facing the whole of Gryffindor House, all of whom were screaming, applauding, and whistling.**

"Wow."

**"You should've told us you'd entered!" bellowed Fred;**

Ron, Ginny, Hermione and Harry winced.

** he looked half annoyed, half deeply impressed.**

**"How did you do it without getting a beard? Brilliant!" roared George.**

**"I didn't," Harry said. "I don't know how -"**

**But Angelina had now swooped down upon him; "Oh if it couldn't be me, at least it's a Gryffindor -"**

**"You'll be able to pay back Diggory for that last Quidditch match, Harry!" shrieked Katie Bell, another of the Gryffindor Chasers.**

**"We've got food, Harry, come and have some -"**

**"I'm not hungry, I had enough at the feast -"**

**But nobody wanted to hear that he wasn't hungry; nobody wanted to hear that he hadn't put his name in the goblet; not one single person seemed to have noticed that he wasn't at all in the mood to celebrate…Lee Jordan had unearthed a Gryffindor banner from somewhere, and he insisted on draping it around Harry like a cloak. Harry couldn't get away;**

Lily gave Harry a sympathetic look.

** whenever he tried to sidle over to the staircase up to the dormitories, the crowd around him closed ranks,**

"Just let him sleep!" James shouted at the book.

"Oi!" Sirius said, "Stop shouting at me."

James glared at him.

** forcing another butterbeer on him, stuffing crisps and peanuts into his hands…Everyone wanted to know how he had done it, how he had tricked Dumbledore's Age Line and managed to get his name into the goblet…**

**"I didn't," he said, over and over again, "I don't know how it happened."**

**But for all the notice anyone took, he might just as well not have answered at all.**

**"I'm tired!" he bellowed finally, after nearly half an hour. "No, seriously, George - I'm going to bed -"**

**He wanted more than anything to find Ron and Hermione, to find a bit of sanity, but neither of them seemed to be in the common room. Insisting that he needed to sleep, and almost flattening the little Creevey brothers as they attempted to waylay him at the foot of the stairs, Harry managed to shake everyone off and climb up to the dormitory as fast as he could.**

**To his great relief, he found Ron was lying on his bed in the otherwise empty dormitory, still fully dressed. He looked up when Harry slammed the door behind him.**

**"Where've you been?" Harry said.**

**"Oh hello," said Ron.**

**He was grinning, but it was a very odd, strained sort of grin. Harry suddenly became aware that he was still wearing the scarlet Gryffindor banner that Lee had tied around him. He hastened to take it off, but it was knotted very tightly. Ron lay on the bed without moving, watching Harry struggle to remove it.**

**"So," he said, when Harry had finally removed the banner and thrown it into a corner. "Congratulations."**

**"What d'you mean, congratulations?" said Harry, staring at Ron. There was definitely something wrong with the way Ron was smiling: It was more like a grimace.**

"What's wrong with you?" Sirius asked Ron.

Ron gave him a sheepish expression.

**"Well…no one else got across the Age Line," said Ron. "Not even Fred and George. What did you use - the Invisibility Cloak?"**

"That wouldn't have worked." Remus said.

"Besides, Harry didn't enter." James added.

**"The Invisibility Cloak wouldn't have got me over that line," said Harry slowly.**

**"Oh right," said Ron. "I thought you might've told me if it was the cloak… because it would've covered both of us, wouldn't it? But you found another way, did you?"**

**"Listen," said Harry, "I didn't put my name in that goblet. Someone else must've done it."**

**Ron raised his eyebrows.**

**"What would they do that for?"**

**"I dunno," said Harry. He felt it would sound very melodramatic to say, "To kill me."**

**Ron's eyebrows rose so high that they were in danger of disappearing into his hair.**

**"It's okay, you know, you can tell me the truth," he said. "If you don't want everyone else to know, fine, but I don't know why you're bothering to lie, you didn't get into trouble for it, did you? That friend of the Fat Lady's, that Violet, she's already told us all Dumbledore's letting you enter. A thousand Galleons prize money, eh? And you don't have to do end-of-year tests either…"**

"Ron's jealous." Lily said, shocked.

"Harry didn't even enter though!" James yelled.

"We can _hear, _Prongs." Remus growled, "Especially me."

"Sorry."

**"I didn't put my name in that goblet!" said Harry, starting to feel angry.**

**"Yeah, okay," said Ron, in exactly the same sceptical tone as Cedric. "Only you said this morning you'd have done it last night, and no one would've seen you…I'm not stupid, you know."**

**"You're doing a really good impression of it," Harry snapped.**

**"Yeah?" said Ron, and there was no trace of a grin, forced or otherwise, on his face now. "You want to get to bed, Harry. I expect you'll need to be up early tomorrow for a photo-call or something."**

**He wrenched the hangings shut around his four-poster, leaving Harry standing there by the door, staring at the dark red velvet curtains, now hiding one of the few people he had been sure would believe him.**

Lily and James glared at Ron and he raised his hands in defense, "Past me."

They continued to glare anyway as Sirius handed the book to Harry.

**A/N: Alright! Another chapter! So, review, please.**

**Oh, and if you read Marauders I've been thinking about a new chapter but I'm not exactly sure how it should go, so any ideas are apprecited for _that_. (I've decided Remus will find out about James telling Lily everthing) **

**OK, so, I'm going to go update my profile picture after I post this to match this chapter. :)**

**Review, please.  
**


	19. The Weighing of the Wands

**A/N This was chapter eighteen right? **

**CHAPTER EIGHTEEN  
THE WEIGHING OF THE WANDS**

**When Harry woke up on Sunday morning, it took him a moment to remember why he felt so miserable and worried. **

"Sorry, mate." Ron said.

"S'OK."

**Then the memory of the previous night rolled over him. He sat up and ripped back the curtains of his own four-poster, intending to talk to Ron, to force Ron to believe him-only to find that Ron's bed was empty; he had obviously gone down to breakfast. **

**Harry dressed and went down the spiral staircase into the common room. The moment he appeared, the people who had already finished breakfast broke into applause again.**

"Merlin."

**The prospect of going down into the Great Hall and facing the rest of the Gryffindors, all treating him like some sort of hero, was not inviting; it was that, however, or stay here and allow himself to be cornered by the Creevey brothers, who were both beckoning frantically to him to join them. He walked resolutely over to the portrait hole, pushed it open, climbed out of it, and found himself face-to-face with Hermione. **

"**Hello," she said, holding up a stack of toast, which she was carrying in a napkin. "I brought you this…**

"That was nice of you." Lily said gratefully.

**Want to go for a walk?" **

"**Good idea," said Harry gratefully. **

Lily looked at the book, surprised.

"You'd think we'd be used to that by now." James said.

**They went downstairs, crossed the entrance hall quickly without looking in at the Great Hall, and were soon striding across the lawn toward the lake, where the Durmstrang ship was moored, reflected blackly in the water. It was a chilly morning, and they kept moving, munching their toast, as Harry told Hermione exactly what had happened after he had left the Gryffindor table the night before. **

**To his immense relief, Hermione accepted his story without question.**

"Good."

"**Well, of course I knew you hadn't entered yourself," she said when he'd finished telling her about the scene in the chamber off the Hall. "The look on your face when Dumbledore read out your name! But the question is, who did put it in? Because Moody's right, Harry…I don't think any student could have done it…they'd never be able to fool the Goblet, or get over Dumbledore's -" **

"**Have you seen Ron?" Harry interrupted. **

**Hermione hesitated. **

"**Erm…yes…he was at breakfast," she said. **

"**Does he still think I entered myself?" **

"**Well…no, I don't think so…not really," said Hermione awkwardly. **

"**What's that supposed to mean, 'not really'?" **

"**Oh Harry, isn't it obvious?" Hermione said despairingly. "He's jealous!" **

"Finally, someone gets it!" Lily said.

Ron blushed.

"**Jealous?" Harry said incredulously. "Jealous of what? He wants to make a prat of himself in front of the whole school, does he?" **

After Lily had finished scolding Harry, he read on.

"**Look," said Hermione patiently, "it's always you who gets all the attention, you know it is. **

"He doesn't-"James started to retort.

"Shh!" Harry said.

**I know it's not your fault,"**

"Oh." James said sheepishly.

**she added quickly, seeing Harry open his mouth furiously. "I know you don't ask for it…but - well - you know, Ron's got all those brothers to compete against at home, and you're his best friend, and you're really famous-he's always shunted to one side whenever people see you, and he puts up with it, and he never mentions it, but I suppose this is just one time too many…" **

"**Great," said Harry bitterly. "Really great. Tell him from me I'll swap any time he wants. Tell him from me he's welcome to it…People gawping at my forehead everywhere I go…" **

"**I'm not telling him anything," Hermione said shortly. "Tell him yourself. **

Lily and Remus both laughed and nodded, looking pointedly at Sirius and James.

**It's the only way to sort this out." **

"**I'm not running around after him trying to make him grow up!" **

Lily glared at Harry, who tried to ignore her and kept reading.

**Harry said, so loudly that several owls in a nearby tree took flight in alarm. "Maybe he'll believe I'm not enjoying myself once I've got my neck broken or -" **

"**That's not funny," said Hermione quietly. "That's not funny at all." She looked extremely anxious. "Harry, I've been thinking - you know what we've got to do, don't you? Straight away, the moment we get back to the castle?"**

Everyone that wasn't from the future exchanged confused looks except Sirius, who said, "Of course."

"What?" Remus asked.

"Write to me."

"**Yeah, give Ron a good kick up the -" **

"Hey!" Ron protested.

Harry smiled sheepishly.

"**Write to Sirius. You've got to tell him what's happened. He asked you to keep him posted on everything that's going on at Hogwarts…It's almost as if he expected something like this to happen. I brought some parchment and a quill out with me -" **

"Hermione's just prepared for everything, isn't she?" Sirius said, smiling.

"**Come off it," said Harry, looking around to check that they couldn't be overheard, but the grounds were quite deserted. "He came back to the country just because my scar twinged. He'll probably come bursting right into the castle if I tell him someone's entered me in the Triwizard Tournament-"**

"I will not." Sirius huffed.

"**He'd want you to tell him,"**

"Exactly."

**said Hermione sternly. "He's going to find out anyway." **

"**How?" **

"The Prophet, though they probably won't print the truth about it." Remus said.

"**Harry, this isn't going to be kept quiet," said Hermione, very seriously. "This tournament's famous, and you're famous. I'll be really surprised if there isn't anything in the **_**Daily Prophet **_**about you competing…You're already in half the books about You-Know-Who, you know…and Sirius would rather hear it from you, I know he would." **

"**Okay, okay, I'll write to him," said Harry, throwing his last piece of toast into the lake. They both stood and watched it floating there for a moment, before a large tentacle rose out of the water and scooped it beneath the surface. **

"I wonder where they got the Giant Squid from..." Sirius said.

"Hagrid could've put it there." James said.

"But it's been there longer than Hagrid has, I think." Remus said.

"Will you shut up so Harry can read?!" Lily said.

**Then they returned to the castle. **

"**Whose owl am I going to use?" Harry said as they climbed the stairs. "He told me not to use Hedwig again." **

"**Ask Ron if you can borrow -" **

"**I'm not asking Ron for anything," **

"You're worse than Sirius and James." Remus said.

**Harry said flatly. **

"**Well, borrow one of the school owls, then, anyone can use them," said Hermione. **

**They went up to the Owlery. Hermione gave Harry a piece of parchment, a quill, and a bottle of ink, then strolled around the long lines of perches, looking at all the different owls, while Harry sat down against a wall and wrote his letter. **

_**Dear Sirius,**_

"You really shouldn't call him 'Sirius' in the letters, just in case they're intercepted." James said.

"Later on Sirius tells us to call him something else." Ron said.

"What?"

"You'll see." 

_**You told me to keep you posted on what**_**'**_**s happening at Hogwarts, so here goes–I don**_**'**_**t know if you**_**'**_**ve heard, but the Triwizard Tournament**_**'**_**s happening this year and on Saturday night I got picked as a fourth champion. I don**_**'**_**t who put my name in the Goblet of Fire, because I didn**_**'**_**t. The other Hogwarts champion is Cedric Diggory, from Hufflepuff. **_

**He paused at this point, thinking. He had an urge to say something about the large weight of anxiety that seemed to have settled inside his chest since last night, but he couldn't think how to translate this into words, so he simply dipped his quill back into the ink bottle and wrote, **

_**Hope you**_**'**_**re okay, and Buckbeak– **_

_**Harry **_

"**Finished," he told Hermione, getting to his feet and brushing straw off his robes. At this, Hedwig fluttered down onto his shoulder and held out her leg. **

"**I can't use you," Harry told her, looking around for the school owls. "I've got to use one of these." **

**Hedwig gave a very loud hoot and took off so suddenly that her talons cut into his shoulder.**

"Ow, maybe you should've explained why." Sirius said.

**She kept her back to Harry all the time he was tying his letter to the leg of a large barn owl. When the barn owl had flown off, Harry reached out to stroke Hedwig, but she clicked her beak furiously and soared up into the rafters out of reach. **

"**First Ron, then you," Harry said angrily. "This isn't my fault." **

**If Harry had thought that matters would improve once everyone got used to the idea of him being champion, the following day showed him how mistaken he was. **

**He could no longer avoid the rest of the school once he was back at lessons-and it was clear that the rest of the school, just like the Gryffindors, thought Harry had entered himself for the tournament. Unlike the Gryffindors, however, they did not seem impressed.**

"I bet the Hufflepuffs are angry."

**The Hufflepuffs, who were usually on excellent terms with the Gryffindors, had turned remarkably cold toward the whole lot of them. **

"Yep."

**One Herbology lesson was enough to demonstrate this. It was plain that the Hufflepuffs felt that Harry had stolen their champion's glory; a feeling exacerbated, perhaps, by the fact that Hufflepuff House very rarely got any glory, and that Cedric was one of the few who had ever given them any, having beaten Gryffindor once at Quidditch. Ernie Macmillan and Justin Finch Fletchley, with whom Harry normally got on very well, did not talk to him even though they were repotting Bouncing Bulbs at the same tray-though they did laugh rather unpleasantly when one of the Bouncing Bulbs wriggled free from Harry's grip and smacked him hard in the face.**

"That is unfair." James mumbled, "It's not like he _chose _to enter the freaking tournament."

Lily glared at James and reached for her wand.

"I said 'freaking', that's not a cuss word." James yelped.

**Ron wasn't talking to Harry either. Hermione sat between them, making very forced conversation, but though both answered her normally, they avoided making eye contact with each other. Harry thought even Professor Sprout seemed distant with him-but then, she was Head of Hufflepuff House. **

**He would have been looking forward to seeing Hagrid under normal circumstances, but Care of Magical Creatures meant seeing the Slytherins too**

James and Sirius groaned and Sirius went ahead and found his list.

–**the first time he would come face-to-face with them since becoming champion. **

**Predictably, Malfoy arrived at Hagrid's cabin with his familiar sneer firmly in place. **

"**Ah, look, boys, it's the champion," he said to Crabbe and Goyle the moment he got within earshot of Harry. "Got your autograph books? Better get a signature now, because I doubt he's going to be around much longer…**

Sirius growled as he began to scribble furiously on his list. (He had to wish the parchment longer to fit everything)

**Half the Triwizard champions have died…how long d'you reckon you're going to last, Potter? Ten minutes into the first task's my bet." **

"I bet he'll win, Malfoy! That'll show you." James growled as Sirius broke his quill.

**Crabbe and Goyle guffawed sycophantically, but Malfoy had to stop there, because Hagrid emerged from the back of his cabin balancing a teetering tower of crates, each containing a very large Blast-Ended Skrewt. **

"Ugh...." James moaned.

**To the class's horror, Hagrid proceeded to explain that the reason the skrewts had been killing one another was an excess of pent-up energy, and that the solution would be for each student to fix a leash on a skrewt and take it for a short walk. **

"Has Hagrid gone _mad?_" Sirius said.

**The only good thing about this plan was that it distracted Malfoy completely. **

"At least it _has_ agood side."

"**Take this thing for a walk?" he repeated in disgust, staring into one of the boxes. "And where exactly are we supposed to fix the leash? Around the sting, the blasting end, or the sucker?" **

"**Roun' the middle," said Hagrid, demonstrating. "Er - yeh might want ter put on yer dragon-hide gloves, jus' as an extra precaution, like. Harry-you come here an' help me with this big one…" **

"This is where being the teacher's friend is a _bad _thing." Sirius mumbled.

**Hagrid's real intention, however, was to talk to Harry away from the rest of the class. He waited until everyone else had set off with their skrewts, then turned to Harry and said, very seriously, "So-yer competin', Harry. In the tournament. School champion." **

"**One of the champions," Harry corrected him. **

**Hagrid's beetle-black eyes looked very anxious under his wild eyebrows. **

"**No idea who put yeh in fer it, Harry?" **

"**You believe I didn't do it, then?" said Harry, concealing with difficulty the rush of gratitude he felt at Hagrid's words. **

"**Course I do," Hagrid grunted. "Yeh say it wasn' you, an' I believe yeh-an' Dumbledore believes yer, an' all." **

"Hagrid will believe pretty much anything Dumbledore believes." Remus said.

"**Wish I knew who did do it," said Harry bitterly. **

Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Ginny exchanged a glance.

**The pair of them looked out over the lawn; the class was widely scattered now, and all in great difficulty. The skrewts were now over three feet long, and extremely powerful. No longer shell-less and colorless, they had developed a kind of thick, grayish, shiny armor. They looked like a cross between giant scorpions and elongated crabs**

"That's because they probably are something along those lines." Remus said.

"I bet Hagrid created them." James said.

"That, or he bought them illegally." Sirius agreed.

**-but still without recognizable heads or eyes. They had become immensely strong and very hard to control. **

"**Look like they're havin' fun, don' they?" Hagrid said happily. Harry assumed he was talking about the skrewts, because his classmates certainly weren't; **

Sirius and James chuckled at this.

**every now and then, with an alarming bang, one of the skrewts' ends would explode, causing it to shoot forward several yards, and more than one person was being dragged along on their stomach, trying desperately to get back on their feet. **

"**Ah, I don' know, Harry," Hagrid sighed suddenly, looking back down at him with a worried expression on his face. "School champion…everythin' seems ter happen ter you, doesn' it?" **

"Of course."

**Harry didn't answer. Yes, everything did seem to happen to him…that was more or less what Hermione had said as they had walked around the lake, and that was the reason, according to her, that Ron was no longer talking to him. **

**The next few days were some of Harry's worst at Hogwarts. The closest he had ever come to feeling like this had been during those months, in his second year, when a large part of the school had suspected him of attacking his fellow students. But Ron had been on his side then. He thought he could have coped with the rest of the school's behavior if he could just have had Ron back as a friend, **

"Well, then, go _get _him back." Lily said irritably.

**but he wasn't going to try and persuade Ron to talk to him if Ron didn't want to. **

Lily shook his head, exasperated.

**Nevertheless, it was lonely with dislike pouring in on him from all sides. **

**He could understand the Hufflepuffs' attitude, even if he didn't like it; they had their own champion to support. He expected nothing less than vicious insults from the Slytherins-he was highly unpopular there and always had been, because he had helped Gryffindor beat them so often, both at Quidditch and in the Inter-House Championship. But he had hoped the Ravenclaws might have found it in their hearts to support him as much as Cedric. **

"Let me guess, you were wrong." James said.

Harry laughed, "Yep."

**He was wrong, however. Most Ravenclaws seemed to think that he had been desperate to earn himself a bit more fame by tricking the goblet into accepting his name. **

**Then there was the fact that Cedric looked the part of a champion so much more than he did. Exceptionally handsome, with his straight nose, dark hair, and gray eyes, it was hard to say who was receiving more admiration these days, Cedric or Viktor Krum. **

Ron groaned.

**Harry actually saw the same sixth-year girls who had been so keen to get Krum's autograph begging Cedric to sign their school bags one lunchtime. **

**Meanwhile there was no reply from Sirius, Hedwig was refusing to come anywhere near him, Professor Trelawney was predicting his death with even more certainty than usual, **

"Can't _anyone _leave you alone?" James asked.

**and he did so badly at Summoning Charms **

"Oh, those are easy Harry! See? _Accio Goblet of Fire._" Sirius said, causing the book to shoot out of Harry's hands and into his.

"I know they're easy, Sirius. I was just a little stressed out at the time if you hadn't noticed." Harry replied, "_Accio Goblet of Fire."_

The book returned to Harry, who began reading once more.

**in Professor Flitwick's class that he was given extra homework-the only person to get any, apart from Neville. **

"**It's really not that difficult, Harry," Hermione tried to reassure him as they left Flitwick's class-she had been making objects zoom across the room to her all lesson, as though she were some sort of weird magnet for board dusters, wastepaper baskets, and lunascopes. "You just weren't concentrating properly -" **

"**Wonder why that was," said Harry darkly as Cedric Diggory walked past, surrounded by a large group of simpering girls, all of whom looked at Harry as though he were a particularly large Blast-Ended Skrewt. "Still - never mind, eh? Double Potions to look forward to this afternoon..." **

James and Sirius groaned.

**Double Potions was always a horrible experience, but these days it was nothing short of torture.**

"That's why Potions is in the dungeons." James said.

"You just don't like it because you're horrible at Potions." Sirius said, smirking.

**Being shut in a dungeon for an hour and a half with Snape and the Slytherins, all of whom seemed determined to punish Harry as much as possible for daring to become school champion, was about the most unpleasant thing Harry could imagine. He had already struggled through one Friday's worth, with Hermione sitting next to him intoning "ignore them, ignore them, ignore them" under her breath, and he couldn't see why today should be any better. **

**When he and Hermione arrived at Snape's dungeon after lunch, they found the Slytherins waiting outside, each and every one of them wearing a large badge on the front of his or her robes. For one wild moment Harry thought they were S.P.E.W. badges**

Sirius stared at Harry, "Were you OK?"

Harry laughed, "I'm not sure."

**-then he saw that they all bore the same message, in luminous red letters that burnt brightly in the dimly lit underground passage: **

**SUPPORT CEDRIC DIGGORY—THE REAL HOGWARTS CHAMPION! **

James made a strange noise.

"**Like them, Potter?" said Malfoy loudly as Harry approached. "And this isn't all they do - look!" **

**He pressed his badge into his chest, and the message upon it vanished, to be replaced by another one, which glowed green: POTTER STINKS! **

"Nice." James said sarcastically.

Remus added, "It must've taken _real _brains to come up with that."

**The Slytherins howled with laughter. Each of them pressed their badges too, until the message POTTER STINKS was shining brightly all around Harry. He felt the heat rise in his face and neck. **

"**Oh very funny," Hermione said sarcastically to Pansy Parkinson and her gang of Slytherin girls, who were laughing harder than anyone, "really witty." **

Remus looked surprised, "You know, Prongs, I don't think I'm _ever _going to get used to that."

**Ron was standing against the wall with Dean and Seamus. He wasn't laughing, but he wasn't sticking up for Harry either. **

"**Want one, Granger?" said Malfoy, holding out a badge to Hermione. "I've got loads. But don't touch my hand, now. I've just washed it, you see; don't want a Mudblood sliming it up." **

"Hex him, Harry!" Sirius urged.

"No." Lily said stiffly.

"Lily, come on."

"No," James said, shocking them all, "it'd be just Harry's luck for Snape to come along and catch him.

**Some of the anger Harry had been feeling for days and days seemed to burst through a dam in his chest. He had reached for his wand before he'd thought what he was doing. People all around them scrambled out of the way, backing down the corridor. **

"**Harry!" Hermione said warningly. **

"**Go on, then, Potter," Malfoy said quietly, drawing out his own wand. "Moody's not here to look after you now - do it, if you've got the guts -" **

**For a split second, they looked into each other's eyes, then, at exactly the same time, both acted. **

"_**Funnunculus!**_**" Harry yelled. **

"There you go, Harry!" Sirius shouted.

Lily and Ginny glared at him and he whimpered, turning into his animagus for effect.

"Shut up, Padfoot." James said.

Sirius growled at him.

"What? It would be a smart thing for you to do."

"When does Padfoot do smart things?" Remus asked.

Sirius growled again and walked over to Harry, who he nudged with his head to read.

"_**Densaugeo!**_**" screamed Malfoy. **

Sirius snorted.

**Jets of light shot from both wands, hit each other in midair, and ricocheted off at angles — Harry's hit Goyle in the face, and Malfoy's hit Hermione. Goyle bellowed and put his hands to his nose, where great ugly boils were springing up - Hermione, whimpering in panic, was clutching her mouth. **

"**Hermione!" **

**Ron had hurried forward to see what was wrong with her; Harry turned and saw Ron dragging Hermione's hand away from her face. It wasn't a pretty sight. Hermione's front teeth-already larger than average-were now growing at an alarming rate; she was looking more and more like a beaver as her teeth elongated, past her bottom lip, toward her chin-panic-stricken, she felt them and let out a terrified cry. **

"**And what is all this noise about?" said a soft, deadly voice. **

**Snape had arrived. **

"I knew it." James sighed.

**The Slytherins clamored to give their explanations; Snape pointed a long yellow finger at Malfoy and said, "Explain." **

"Favorism showing git." James growled.

Sirius stood up and growled at the book as well.

"**Potter attacked me, sir -" **

"**We attacked each other at the same time!" Harry shouted. **

"**- and he hit Goyle - look -" **

**Snape examined Goyle, whose face now resembled something that would have been at home in a book on poisonous fungi. **

"**Hospital wing, Goyle," Snape said calmly. **

"**Malfoy got Hermione!" Ron said. "Look!" **

**He forced Hermione to show Snape her teeth - she was doing her best to hide them with her hands, though this was difficult as they had now grown down past her collar. Pansy Parkinson and the other Slytherin girls were doubled up with silent giggles, pointing at Hermione from behind Snape's back. **

**Snape looked coldly at Hermione, then said, "I see no difference." **

James cursed furiously and Lily didn't bother to scold him. Sirius growled louder, hackles raised.

Once everyone had calmed down, Harry started reading again.

**Hermione let out a whimper; her eyes filled with tears, she turned on her heel and ran, ran all the way up the corridor and out of sight. **

**It was lucky, perhaps, that both Harry and Ron started shouting at Snape at the same time; lucky their voices echoed so much in the stone corridor, for in the confused din, it was impossible for him to hear exactly what they were calling him. He got the gist, however. **

"**Let's see," he said, in his silkiest voice. "Fifty points from Gryffindor and a detention each for Potter and Weasley. Now get inside, or it'll be a week's worth of detentions." **

"Of course, no punishment for the innocent little Slytherian." James muttered.

**Harry's ears were ringing. The injustice of it made him want to curse Snape into a thousand slimy pieces. He passed Snape, walked with Ron to the back of the dungeon, and slammed his bag down onto the table. Ron was shaking with anger too-for a moment, it felt as though everything was back to normal between them, but then Ron turned and sat down with Dean and Seamus instead, leaving Harry alone at his table. On the other side of the dungeon, Malfoy turned his back on Snape and pressed his badge, smirking. POTTER STINKS flashed once more across the room. Harry sat there staring at Snape as the lesson began, picturing horrific things happening to him…If only he knew how to do the Cruciatus Curse…he'd have Snape flat on his back like that spider, jerking and twitching.**

Sirius sighed and Lily looked disapproving, "That's a little _too _much."

"**Antidotes!" said Snape, looking around at them all, his cold black eyes glittering unpleasantly. "You should all have prepared your recipes now. I want you to brew them carefully, and then, we will be selecting someone on whom to test one…" **

**Snape's eyes met Harry's, and Harry knew what was coming. Snape was going to poison him. Harry imagined picking up his cauldron, and sprinting to the front of the class, and bringing it down on Snape's greasy head**

James sighed dreamily, "The times we've done that."

**-And then a knock on the dungeon door burst in on Harry's thoughts. **

**It was Colin Creevey; he edged into the room, beaming at Harry, and walked up to Snape's desk at the front of the room. **

"**Yes?" said Snape curtly. **

"**Please, sir, I'm supposed to take Harry Potter upstairs."**

"Now, Snape doesn't get to poison him!" James said, without quite the right levels of enthusiasm.

**Snape stared down his hooked nose at Colin, whose smile faded from his eager face. **

"**Potter has another hour of Potions to complete," said Snape coldly. "He will come upstairs when this class is finished." **

**Colin went pink. **

"**Sir-sir, Mr. Bagman wants him," he said nervously. "All the champions have got to go, I think they want to take photographs…" **

"Oh, Collin." Lily groaned.

**Harry would have given anything he owned to have stopped Colin saying those last few words. He chanced half a glance at Ron, but Ron was staring determinedly at the ceiling. **

"**Very well, very well," Snape snapped. "Potter, leave your things here, I want you back down here later to test your antidote." **

"**Please, sir-he's got to take his things with him," squeaked Cohn. "All the champions…" **

"**Very well!" said Snape. "Potter-take your bag and get out of my sight!" **

**Harry swung his bag over his shoulder, got up, and headed for the door. As he walked through the Slytherin desks, POTTER STINKS flashed at him from every direction. **

"**It's amazing, isn't it, Harry?" said Colin, starting to speak the moment Harry had closed the dungeon door behind him. "Isn't it, though? You being champion?" **

"**Yeah, really amazing," said Harry heavily as they set off toward the steps into the entrance hall. "What do they want photos for, Colin?" **

"**The **_**Daily Prophet**_**, I think!" **

"Great, more publicity." James groaned.

"**Great," said Harry dully. "Exactly what I need. More publicity." **

"Merlin, that is _weird._" James said.

"**Good luck!" said Colin when they had reached the right room. Harry knocked on the door and entered. **

**He was in a fairly small classroom; most of the desks had been pushed away to the back of the room, leaving a large space in the middle; three of them, however, had been placed end-to-end in front of the blackboard and covered with a long length of velvet. Five chairs had been set behind the velvet-covered desks, and Ludo Bagman was sitting in one of them, talking to a witch Harry had never seen before, who was wearing magenta robes. **

**Viktor Krum was standing moodily in a corner as usual and not talking to anybody. **

"You would think he'd be a little more social, being a Quidditch Star and all." James said.

**Cedric and Fleur were in conversation. Fleur looked a good deal happier than Harry had seen her so far; she kept throwing back her head so that her long silvery hair caught the light. A paunchy man, holding a large black camera that was smoking slightly, was watching Fleur out of the corner of his eye. **

**Bagman suddenly spotted Harry, got up quickly, and bounded forward. **

"**Ah, here he is! Champion number four! In you come, Harry, in you come…nothing to worry about, it's just the wand weighing ceremony, the rest of the judges will be here in a moment -" **

"**Wand weighing?" Harry repeated nervously. **

"**We have to check that your wands are fully functional, no problems, you know, as they're your most important tools in the tasks ahead," said Bagman. "The expert's upstairs now with Dumbledore.**

"Wonder who it is?" James asked.

Sirius turned back, "I bet you five galleons it's Ollivander."

"OK."

**And then there's going to be a little photoshoot. This is Rita Skeeter,"**

"Oh no." Remus groaned.

"That's that girl that was a quite a few years above us right? She gossiped about everything." Lily asked.

"Yes, and she just got a job at the Dailey Prophet, where her main goal is to ruin peoples lives." Remus replied.

**he added, gesturing toward the witch in magenta robes. "She's doing a small piece on the tournament for the **_**Daily Prophet**_**…" **

"**Maybe not that small, Ludo," said Rita Skeeter, her eyes on Harry.**

"And now she's going to somehow humiliate Harry." Lily said.

**Her hair was set in elaborate and curiously rigid curls that contrasted oddly with her heavy-jawed face. She wore jeweled spectacles. The thick fingers clutching her crocodile-skin handbag ended in two-inch nails, painted crimson. **

"**I wonder if I could have a little word with Harry before we start?" **

"Hell no." James growled.

Lily shot a stinging spell at him and he yelped, rubbing his arm.

**she said to Bagman, but still gazing fixedly at Harry. "The youngest champion, you know…to add a bit of color?" **

"**Certainly!" cried Bagman. "That is-if Harry has no objection?"**

"Object, Harry!" Sirius said, "Don't let her take you alive!"

Everyone in the room gave Sirius a strange.

"**Er-" said Harry. **

"**Lovely," said Rita Skeeter, and in a second, her scarlet-taloned fingers had Harry's upper arm in a surprisingly strong grip, and she was steering him out of the room again and opening a nearby door. **

"**We don't want to be in there with all that noise," she said. "Let's see…ah, yes, this is nice and cozy." **

**It was a broom cupboard. Harry stared at her. **

"**Come along, dear-that's right-lovely," said Rita Skeeter again, perching herself precariously upon an upturned bucket, pushing Harry down onto a cardboard box, and closing the door, throwing them into darkness. "Let's see now…" **

**She unsnapped her crocodile-skin handbag and pulled out a handful of candles, which she lit with a wave of her wand and magicked into midair, so that they could see what they were doing. **

"**You won't mind, Harry, if I use a Quick-Quotes Quill? **

"Those things should be illegal." Remus muttered.

**It leaves me free to talk to you normally…" **

"**A what?" said Harry. **

**Rita Skeeter's smile widened. Harry counted three gold teeth.**

"Those are new." Sirius said.

**She reached again into her crocodile bag and drew out a long acid-green quill and a roll of parchment, which she stretched out between them on a crate of Mrs. Skower's All-Purpose Magical Mess Remover. She put the tip of the green quill into her mouth, sucked it for a moment with apparent relish, then placed it upright on the parchment, where it stood balanced on its point, quivering slightly. **

"**Testing…my name is Rita Skeeter, **_**Daily Prophet **_**reporter." **

**Harry looked down quickly at the quill. The moment Rita Skeeter had spoken, the green quill had started to scribble, skidding across the parchment: **

_**Attractive blonde Rita Skeeter,**_

Sirius snorted.

_**forty-three, who**_**'**_**s savage quill has punctured many inflated reputations–**_

"**Lovely," said Rita Skeeter, yet again, and she ripped the top piece of parchment off, crumpled it up, and stuffed it into her handbag. Now she leaned toward Harry and said, "So, Harry…what made you decide to enter the Triwizard Tournament?" **

"**Er-" said Harry again, but he was distracted by the quill. Even though he wasn't speaking, it was dashing across the parchment, and in its wake he could make out a fresh sentence: **

_**An ugly scar, souvenir of a tragic past, disfigures the otherwise charming face of Harry Potter, **_

"It doesn't _disfigure _his face." Lily said.

_**whose eyes – **_

"**Ignore the quill, Harry," said Rita Skeeter firmly. Reluctantly Harry looked up at her instead. "Now—why did you decide to enter the tournament, Harry?" **

"**I didn't," said Harry. "I don't know how my name got into the Goblet of Fire. I didn't put it in there." **

**Rita Skeeter raised one heavily penciled eyebrow. **

"**Come now, Harry, there's no need to be scared of getting into trouble. We all know you shouldn't really have entered at all. But don't worry about that. Our readers love a rebel." **

"**But I didn't enter," Harry repeated. "I don't know who-" **

"**How do you feel about the tasks ahead?" said Rita Skeeter. "Excited? Nervous?" **

"**I haven't really thought…yeah, nervous, I suppose," said Harry. His insides squirmed uncomfortably as he spoke. **

"**Champions have died in the past, haven't they?" said Rita Skeeter briskly. "Have you thought about that at all?" **

"**Well…they say it's going to be a lot safer this year," said Harry. **

**The quill whizzed across the parchment between them, back and forward as though it were skating. **

"**Of course, you've looked death in the face before, haven't you?" said Rita Skeeter, watching him closely. "How would you say that's affected you?" **

"**Er," said Harry, yet again. **

"Say _something _or the quill will just make something up for you."

"**Do you think that the trauma in your past might have made you keen to prove yourself? To live up to your name? Do you think that perhaps you were tempted to enter the Triwizard Tournament because- " **

"**I didn't enter," said Harry, starting to feel irritated. **

"**Can you remember your parents at all?" said Rita Skeeter, talking over him. **

"**No," said Harry.**

Lily and James frowned.

"**How do you think they'd feel if they knew you were competing in the Triwizard Tournament? Proud? Worried? Angry?" **

"A little of all three, but mainly the last two." Lily said, James nodded in agreement.

**Harry was feeling really annoyed now. How on earth was he to know how his parents would feel if they were alive? He could feel Rita Skeeter watching him very intently. Frowning, he avoided her gaze and looked down at words the quill had just written: **

_**Tears fill those startlingly green eyes as our conversation turns to the parents he can barely remember. **_

"That's a bunch of rubbish!" Sirius growled.

"**I have NOT got tears in my eyes!" said Harry loudly. **

**Before Rita Skeeter could say a word, the door of the broom cupboard was pulled open.**

"Excellent!"

**Harry looked around, blinking in the bright light. Albus Dumbledore stood there, **

"Thank you, Dumbledore." James sighed.

**looking down at both of them, squashed into the cupboard. **

"**Dumbledore!" cried Rita Skeeter, with every appearance of delight-but Harry noticed that her quill and the parchment had suddenly vanished from the box of Magical Mess Remover,**

"Maybe they _are_ illegal." Sirius said.

**and Rita's clawed fingers were hastily snapping shut the clasp of her crocodile-skin bag. "How are you?" she said, standing up and holding out one of her large, mannish hands to Dumbledore. "I hope you saw my piece over the summer about the International Confederation of Wizards' Conference?" **

"**Enchantingly nasty," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "I particularly enjoyed your description of me as an obsolete dingbat." **

Sirius, who had forgotten about his list, began scribbling all of Skeeter's offenses down.

**Rita Skeeter didn't look remotely abashed. **

"**I was just making the point that some of your ideas are a little old-fashioned, Dumbledore, and that many wizards in the street-" **

"**I will be delighted to hear the reasoning behind the rudeness, Rita," said Dumbledore, with a courteous bow and a smile, "but I'm afraid we will have to discuss the matter later. The Weighing of the Wands is about to start, and it cannot take place if one of our champions is hidden in a broom cupboard." **

**Very glad to get away from Rita Skeeter, Harry hurried back into the room. The other champions were now sitting in chairs near the door, and he sat down quickly next to Cedric, looking up at the velvet-covered table, where four of the five judges were now sitting-Professor Karkaroff, Madame Maxime, Mr. Crouch, and Ludo Bagman. Rita Skeeter settled herself down in a corner; Harry saw her slip the parchment out of her bag again, spread it on her knee, suck the end of the **

**Quick-Quotes Quill, and place it once more on the parchment.**

"Maybe it isn't illegal then." Sirius sighed.

"**May I introduce Mr. Ollivander?"**

"Oh, yes! I was right; give me my galleons, Prongs!" Sirius shouted.

James grudgingly handed him his money.

**said Dumbledore, taking his place at the judges' table and talking to the champions. "He will be checking your wands to ensure that they are in good condition before the tournament." **

**Harry looked around, and with a jolt of surprise saw an old wizard with large, pale eyes standing quietly by the window. Harry had met Mr. Ollivander before**

"Pretty much every witch or wizard over ten has met Ollivander." Sirius said.

**-he was the wand-maker from whom Harry had bought his own wand over three years ago in Diagon Alley. **

"**Mademoiselle Delacour, could we have you first, please?" said Mr. Ollivander, stepping into the empty space in the middle of the room. **

**Fleur Delacour swept over to Mr. Ollivander and handed him her wand. **

"**Hmm…" he said. **

**He twirled the wand between his long fingers like a baton and it emitted a number of pink and gold sparks. Then he held it close to his eyes and examined it carefully. **

"**Yes," he said quietly, "nine and a half inches…inflexible…rosewood…and containing…dear me…"**

"What?"

"If you'd let Harry read, you'd already know."

"**An 'air from ze 'ead of a veela," said Fleur. "One of my grandmuzzer's." **

**So Fleur was part veela, thought Harry, making a mental note to tell Ron…then he remembered that Ron wasn't speaking to him. **

Lily huffed.

"**Yes," said Mr. Ollivander, "yes, I've never used veela hair myself, of course. I find it makes for rather temperamental wands…however, to each his own, and if this suits you…" **

**Mr. Ollivander ran his fingers along the wand, apparently checking for scratches or bumps; then he muttered, "**_**Orchideous!**_**" and a bunch of flowers burst from the wand tip. **

"**Very well, very well, it's in fine working order," said Mr. Ollivander, scooping up the flowers and handing them to Fleur with her wand. "Mr. Diggory, you next." Fleur glided back to her seat, smiling at Cedric as he passed her. **

"**Ah, now, this is one of mine, isn't it?" said Mr. Ollivander, with much more enthusiasm, as Cedric handed over his wand. "Yes, I remember it well. Containing a single hair from the tail of a particularly fine male unicorn…must have been seventeen hands; nearly gored me with his horn after I plucked his tail. Twelve and a quarter inches…ash…pleasantly springy. **

"How does he remember all of that?" James asked in awe.

**It's in fine condition…You treat it regularly?" **

"**Polished it last night," said Cedric, grinning. **

**Harry looked down at his own wand. He could see finger marks all over it. He gathered a fistful of robe from his knee and tried to rub it clean surreptitiously. Several gold sparks shot out of the end of it. Fleur Delacour gave him a very patronizing look, and he desisted. **

**Mr. Ollivander sent a stream of silver smoke rings across the room from the tip of Cedric's wand, pronounced himself satisfied, and then said, "Mr. Krum, if you please." **

**Viktor Krum got up and slouched, round-shouldered and duck-footed, toward Mr. Ollivander. He thrust out his wand and stood scowling, with his hands in the pockets of his robes. **

"**Hmm," said Mr. Olhivander, "this is a Gregorovitch creation, unless I'm much mistaken? A fine wand-maker, though the styling is never quite what I…however…" **

**He lifted the wand and examined it minutely, turning it over and over before his eyes. **

"**Yes…hornbeam and dragon heartstring?" he shot at Krum, who nodded. "Rather thicker than one usually sees…quite rigid…ten and a quarter inches…**_**Avis!**_**" **

**The hornbeam wand let off a blast hike a gun, and a number of small, twittering birds flew out of the end and through the open window into the watery sunlight. **

"**Good," said Mr. Ollivander, handing Krum back his wand. "Which leaves…Mr. Potter." **

**Harry got to his feet and walked past Krum to Mr. Ollivander. He handed over his wand. **

"**Aaaah, yes," said Mr. Ohlivander, his pale eyes suddenly gleaming. "Yes, yes, yes. How well I remember." **

**Harry could remember too. He could remember it as though it had happened yesterday… **

**Four summers ago, on his eleventh birthday, he had entered Mr. Ollivander's shop with Hagrid to buy a wand. Mr. Ollivander had taken his measurements and then started handing him wands to try. Harry had waved what felt like every wand in the shop, until at last he had found the one that suited him-this one, which was made of holly, eleven inches long, and contained a single feather from the tail of a phoenix. Mr. Ollivander had been very surprised that Harry had been so compatible with this wand. "Curious," he had said, "curious," and not until Harry asked what was curious had Mr. Olhivander explained that the phoenix feather in Harry's wand had come from the same bird that had supplied the core of Lord Voldemort's. **

**Harry had never shared this piece of information with anybody. He was very fond of his wand, and as far as he was concerned its relation to Voldemort's wand was something it couldn't help-rather as he couldn't help being related to Aunt Petunia.**

James and Sirius laughed and the others all smiled.

**However, he really hoped that Mr. Ollivander wasn't about to tell the room about it. **

"Let's hope not."

**He had a funny feeling Rita Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill might just explode with excitement if he did. **

**Mr. Ollivander spent much longer examining Harry's wand than anyone else's. Eventually, however, he made a fountain of wine shoot out of it, and handed it back to Harry, announcing that it was still in perfect condition. **

"**Thank you all," said Dumbledore, standing up at the judges' table. "You may go back to your lessons now**

"Can't they stretch it out a bit longer?"

**-or perhaps it would be quicker just to go down to dinner, as they are about to end-"**

"Excellent." Sirius said, glad Harry didn't have to go back to Potions.

**Feeling that at last something had gone right today, Harry got up to leave, but the man with the black camera jumped up and cleared his throat. **

"**Photos, Dumbledore, photos!" cried Bagman excitedly. "All the judges and champions, what do you think, Rita?" **

"Who cares about her opinion?"

"**Er-yes, let's do those first," said Rita Skeeter, whose eyes were upon Harry again. "And then perhaps some individual shots." **

**The photographs took a long time. Madame Maxime cast everyone else into shadow wherever she stood, and the photographer couldn't stand far enough back to get her into the frame; eventually she had to sit while everyone else stood around her. Karkaroff kept twirling his goatee around his finger to give it an extra curl; Krum, whom Harry would have thought would have been used to this sort of thing, skulked, half-hidden, at the back of the group. The photographer seemed keenest to get Fleur at the front, but Rita Skeeter kept hurrying forward and dragging Harry into greater prominence. Then she insisted on separate shots of all the champions. **

**At last, they were free to go. Harry went down to dinner. Hermione wasn't there-he supposed she was still in the hospital wing having her teeth fixed. **

Sirius growled.

**He ate alone at the end of the table, then returned to Gryffindor Tower, thinking of all the extra work on Summoning Charms that he had to do. Up in the dormitory, he came across Ron. **

"**You've had an owl,"**

"From me?" Sirius asked hopefully.

Harry nodded.

**said Ron brusquely the moment he walked in. He was pointing at Harry's pillow. The school barn owl was waiting for him there. **

"**Oh-right," said Harry. **

"**And we've got to do our detentions tomorrow night, Snape's dungeon," **

James and Sirius groaned loudly.

**said Ron. He then walked straight out of the room, not looking at Harry. For a moment, Harry considered going after him-he wasn't sure whether he wanted to talk to him or hit him, both seemed quite appealing**

Harry gave Ron a sheepish look.

**-but the lure of Sirius's answer was too strong. Harry strode over to the barn owl, took the letter off its leg, and unrolled it. **

_**Harry - **_

_**I can**_**'**_**t say everything I would like to in a letter, it**_**'**_**s too risky in case the owl is intercepted-we need to talk face-to-face. **_

"What?"

_**Can you ensure that you are alone by the fire in Gryffindor Tower at one o**_**'**_**clock in the morning on the 22nd of November? **_

"You're not going up there are you?" James asked, surprised.

Sirius shrugged, "Probably not."

"What if you find a way to floo him?" Remus asked.

"That's probably what I'll do."

_**I know better than anyone that you can look after yourself and while you**_**'**_**re around Dumbledore and Moody I don**_**'**_**t think anyone will be able to hurt you. However, someone seems to be having a good try. Entering you in that tournament would have been very risky, especially right under Dumbledore**_**'**_**s nose. **_

_**Be on the watch, Harry. I still want to hear about anything unusual. Let me know about the 22nd of November as quickly as you can. **_

"Send him a reply now!" James nearly shouted at Harry.

Harry laughed, "I do."

_**-Sirius**_

Harry handed the book to James, who eagerly grabbed it.

**A/N: Review everyone! I got five or six reviews last time and lots of alerts/favs. It was awesome.**


	20. The Hungarian Horntail

**CHAPTER NINETEEN**

**THE HUNGARIAN HORNTAIL**

"That's a dragon, isn't it?" James asked.

"Yeah! They're supposed to be the most dangerous of all the dragons." Sirius shouted excitedly.

"I hope Harry doesn't have to go up against one of those." Lily said nervously.

**The prospect of talking face-to-face with Sirius was all that sustained Harry over the next fortnight,**

"Now I wish that stupid tournament was never brought back." James muttered.

**the only bright spot on a horizon that had never looked darker. The shock of finding himself school champion had worn off slightly now, and the fear of what was facing him had started to sink in. The first task was drawing steadily nearer; he felt as though it were crouching ahead of him like some horrific monster, barring his path. He had never suffered nerves like these; they were way beyond anything he had experienced before a Quidditch match, not even his last one against Slytherin, which had decided who would win the Quidditch Cup. Harry was finding it hard to think about the future at all; he felt as though his whole life had been heading up to, and would finish with, the first task.**

Lily and James got up and went to sit beside Harry, causing Ron and Hermione to politely move somewhere else.

**Admittedly, he didn't see how Sirius was going to make him feel any better**

"Of course I'll be able to make you feel better Harry, it's what I do." Sirius said, a small trace of a smirk on his face.

**about having to perform an unknown piece of difficult and dangerous magic in front of hundreds of people, but the mere sight of a friendly face would be something at the moment. Harry wrote back to Sirius saying that he would be beside the common room fire at the time Sirius had suggested; and he and Hermione spent a long time going over plans for forcing any stragglers out of the common room on the night in question. **

"To bad you two can't scheme with him." James said, nodding his head towards Remus and Sirius.

"Speaking of, I wonder where future Moony's at?" Sirius said.

Remus shrugged, also curious about what his future self was up to.

**If the worst came to the worst, they were going to drop a bag of Dungbombs, **

James groaned and then said, "Amateurs."

**but they hoped they wouldn't have to resort to that-Filch would skin them alive.**

**In the meantime, life became even worse for Harry within the confines of the castle, for Rita Skeeter had published her piece about the Triwizard Tournament, **

"Oh no."

**and it had turned out to be not so much a report on the tournament as a highly colored life story of Harry. **

"Figures."

**Much of the front page had been given over to a picture of Harry; the article (continuing on pages two, six, and seven)**

"Wonder how many lies _that _had contained..." Sirius said.

"More lies than truth, for sure." Ginny muttered.

**had been all about Harry, the names of the Beauxbatons and Durmstrang champions (misspelled) had been squashed into the last line of the article, and Cedric hadn't been mentioned at all.**

"Oh no."

**The article had appeared ten days ago, and Harry still got a sick, burning feeling of shame in his stomach every time he thought about it. Rita Skeeter had reported him saying an awful lot of things that he couldn't remember ever saying in his life, let alone in that broom cupboard.**

**I suppose I get my strength from my parents. I know they'd be very proud of me if they could see me now…Yes, sometimes at night I still cry about them, I'm not ashamed to admit it…**

Lily and James looked furious and James read on through clenched teeth.

**I know nothing will hurt me during the tournament, because they're watching over me…'**

**But Rita Skeeter had gone even further than transforming his "er's" into long, sickly sentences: She had interviewed other people about him too.**

'**Harry has at last found love at Hogwarts. His close friend, Colin Creevey, says that Harry is rarely seen out of the company of one Hermione Granger,**

"Well, yeah, but not because she's his 'last found love'." Sirius growled.

**a stunningly pretty Muggle-born girl who, like Harry, is one of the top students in the school.'**

**From the moment the article had appeared, Harry had had to endure people—Slytherins, mainly—quoting it at him as he passed and making sneering comments.**

"**Want a hanky, Potter, in case you start crying in Transfiguration?"**

"**Since when have you been one of the top students in the school, Potter? **

"Since he got there." Sirius snapped, reaching for his list before he realized that they're weren't any names.

Harry leaned towards him and told him a few, which Sirius happily scribbled down.

**Or is this a school you and Longbottom have set up together?"**

"Hey!"

"**Hey-Harry!"**

"**Yeah, that's right!" Harry found himself shouting as he wheeled around in the corridor, having had just about enough. "I've just been crying my eyes out over my dead mum,**

Lily frowned.

**and I'm just off to do a bit more…"**

"**No-it was just-you dropped your quill."**

**It was Cho. Harry felt the color rising in his face.**

Sirius snickered.

"**Oh-right-sorry," he muttered, taking the quill back.**

"**Er…good luck on Tuesday," she said. "I really hope you do well."**

**Which left Harry feeling extremely stupid.**

**Hermione had come in for her fair share of unpleasantness too, but she hadn't yet started yelling at innocent bystanders; in fact, Harry was full of admiration for the way she was handling the situation.**

"**Stunningly pretty? Her?" Pansy Parkinson had shrieked the first time she had come face-to-face with Hermione after Rita's article had appeared. "What was she judging against-a chipmunk?"**

Sirius began writing on his list once more.

"**Ignore it," Hermione said in a dignified voice, holding her head in the air and stalking past the sniggering Slytherin girls as though she couldn't hear them. "Just ignore it, Harry."**

"Like that'll work." James muttered.

**But Harry couldn't ignore it. Ron hadn't spoken to him at all since he had told him about Snape's detentions. Harry had half hoped they would make things up during the two hours they were forced to pickle rats' brains**

"Yuck." Lily said, grimacing.

Sirius shrugged, "We've had to do worse."

Remus shuddered slightly, "Much worse."

**in Snape's dungeon, but that had been the day Rita's article had appeared, which seemed to have confirmed Ron's belief that Harry was really enjoying all the attention.**

**Hermione was furious with the pair of them; she went from one to the other, trying to force them to talk to each other, but Harry was adamant: He would talk to Ron again only if Ron admitted that Harry hadn't put his name in the Goblet of Fire and apologized for calling him a liar.**

"**I didn't start this," Harry said stubbornly. "It's his problem."**

"**You miss him!" Hermione said impatiently. "And I know he misses you -"**

"**Miss him?" said Harry. "I don't miss him…"**

"Do too." Hermione said.

Harry nodded.

**But this was a downright lie. Harry liked Hermione very much, but she just wasn't the same as Ron. There was much less laughter and a lot more hanging around in the library when Hermione was your best friend. **

Sirius and James coughed and glanced at Remus, who looked a bit annoyed.

**Harry still hadn't mastered Summoning Charms, he seemed to have developed something of a block about them, and Hermione insisted that learning the theory would help. They consequently spent a lot of time poring over books during their lunchtimes.**

**Viktor Krum was in the library an awful lot too and Harry wondered what he was up to. Was he studying, or was he looking for things to help him through the first task? Hermione often complained about Krum being there-not that he ever bothered them-but because groups of giggling girls often turned up to spy on him from behind bookshelves, and Hermione found the noise distracting.**

"**He's not even good-looking!" she muttered angrily, glaring at Krum's sharp profile. "They only like him because he's famous! They wouldn't look twice at him if he couldn't do that Wonky-Faint thing -"**

"Wronski Feint." James corrected.

"**Wronski Feint," said Harry, through gritted teeth. Quite apart from liking to get Quidditch terms correct, it caused him another pang to imagine Ron's expression if he could have heard Hermione talking about Wonky-Faints.**

**It is a strange thing, but when you are dreading something, and would give anything to slow down time, it has a disobliging habit of speeding up. **

"Naturally."

**The days until the first task seemed to slip by as though someone had fixed the clocks to work at double speed. Harry's feeling of barely controlled panic was with him wherever he went, as ever-present as the snide comments about the Daily Prophet article.**

**On the Saturday before the first task, all students in the third year and above were permitted to visit the village of Hogsmeade. Hermione told Harry that it would do him good to get away from the castle for a bit, and Harry didn't need much persuasion.**

"**What about Ron, though?" he said. "Don't you want to go with him?"**

"**Oh…well…" Hermione went slightly pink. "I thought we might meet up with him in the Three Broomsticks…"**

"**No," said Harry flatly.**

Lily sighed.

"**Oh Harry, this is so stupid -"**

"**I'll come, but I'm not meeting Ron, and I'm wearing my Invisibility Cloak."**

"**Oh all right then…" Hermione snapped, "but I hate talking to you in that cloak, I never know if I'm looking at you or not."**

**So Harry put on his Invisibility Cloak in the dormitory, went back downstairs, and together he and Hermione set off for Hogsmeade.**

**Harry felt wonderfully free under the cloak; he watched other students walking past them as they entered the village, most of them sporting Support Cedric Diggory! badges, but no horrible remarks came his way for a change, and nobody was quoting that stupid article.**

"**People keep looking at me now," said Hermione grumpily as they came out of Honeydukes Sweetshop later, eating large cream-filled chocolates. "They think I'm talking to myself."**

"**Don't move your lips so much then."**

"Just take the cloak off." Lily said, annoyed.

"**Come on, please just take off your cloak for a bit, no one's going to bother you here."**

"**Oh yeah?" said Harry. "Look behind you."**

"Dun dun dun!" Sirius shouted, causing a few people to jump.

**Rita Skeeter and her photographer friend had just emerged from the Three Broomsticks pub. Talking in low voices, they passed right by Hermione without looking at her. Harry backed into the wall of Honeydukes to stop Rita Skeeter from hitting him with her crocodile-skin handbag. When they were gone, Harry said, "She's staying in the village. I bet she's coming to watch the first task."**

Sirius and James moaned loudly.

**As he said it, his stomach flooded with a wave of molten panic. He didn't mention this; he and Hermione hadn't discussed what was coming in the first task much; he had the feeling she didn't want to think about it.**

"**She's gone," said Hermione, looking right through Harry toward the end of the street. "Why don't we go and have a butterbeer in the Three Broomsticks, it's a bit cold, isn't it? You don't have to talk to Ron!" she added irritably, correctly interpreting his silence.**

**The Three Broomsticks was packed, mainly with Hogwarts students enjoying their free afternoon, but also with a variety of magical people Harry rarely saw anywhere else. Harry supposed that as Hogsmeade was the only all-wizard village in Britain, it was a bit of a haven for creatures like hags, who were not as adept as wizards at disguising themselves.**

"Just don't go into the Hog's Head." James said with a shudder.

**It was very hard to move through crowds in the Invisibility Cloak, in case you accidentally trod on someone, which tended to lead to awkward questions. **

"No it's not." Sirius said.

"Yeah, it's actually _better _when it's crowded so if you actually step on someone there's more people to blame." James agreed.

**Harry edged slowly toward a spare table in the corner while Hermione went to buy drinks. On his way through the pub, Harry spotted Ron, who was sitting with Fred, George, and Lee Jordan. Resisting the urge to give Ron a good hard poke in the back of the head, **

Seth, who was being so quiet that Harry had figured he was sleeping, snickered.

**he finally reached the table and sat down at it.**

**Hermione joined him a moment later and slipped him a butterbeer under his cloak.**

"**I look like such an idiot, sitting here on my own," she muttered. "Lucky I brought something to do."**

**And she pulled out a notebook in which she had been keeping a record of S.P.E.W. members. Harry saw his and Ron's names at the top of the very short list.**

**It seemed a long time ago that they had sat making up those predictions together, and Hermione had turned up and appointed them secretary and treasurer.**

"**You know, maybe I should try and get some of the villagers involved in S.P.E.W.," Hermione said thoughtfully, looking around the pub.**

"**Yeah, right," said Harry. He took a swig of butterbeer under his cloak. "Hermione, when are you going to give up on this spew stuff?"**

"**When house-elves have decent wages and working conditions!"**

"So....never?" Sirius asked.

Ginny glared at him in Hermione's defense and he cringed, whimpering pathetically.

**she hissed back. "You know, I'm starting to think it's time for more direct action. I wonder how you get into the school kitchens?"**

"**No idea,**

Sirius gasped, putting a hand on his heart, "_My _godson doesn't know how to get into the _kitchens_?"

"It's OK, Padfoot, I'm sure he'll learn eventually." James said soothingly, struggling not to laugh.

"He should already know."

James frowned, Harry _should_ have already known, he should have taught him.

**ask Fred and George," said Harry.**

**Hermione lapsed into thoughtful silence, while Harry drank his butterbeer, watching the people in the pub. All of them looked cheerful and relaxed. Ernie Macmillan and Hannah Abbot were swapping Chocolate Frog cards at a nearby table; both of them sporting Support Cedric Diggory! badges on their cloaks.**

**Right over by the door he saw Cho and a large group of her Ravenclaw friends. She wasn't wearing a Cedric badge though…This cheered up Harry very slightly.**

Seth snickered again and Harry hissed at him to shut up.

**What wouldn't he have given to be one of these people, sitting around laughing and talking, with nothing to worry about but homework? He imagined how it would have felt to be here if his name hadn't come out of the Goblet of Fire.**

**He wouldn't be wearing the Invisibility Cloak, for one thing. Ron would be sitting with him. The three of them would probably be happily imagining what deadly dangerous task the school champions would be facing on Tuesday. He'd have been really hooking forward to it, watching them do whatever it was…cheering on Cedric with everyone else, safe in a seat at the back of the stands…**

**He wondered how the other champions were feeling. Every time he had seen Cedric lately, he had been surrounded by admirers and looking nervous but excited. Harry glimpsed Fleur Delacour from time to time in the corridors; she looked exactly as she always did, haughty and unruffled. And Krum just sat in the library, poring over books.**

**Harry thought of Sirius, and the tight, tense knot in his chest seemed to ease slightly.**

Sirius smiled proudly and Lily and James gave him grateful looks.

**He would be speaking to him in just over twelve hours, for tonight was the night they were meeting at the common room fire-assuming nothing went wrong, as everything else had done lately…**

"It won't go wrong." Sirius said, determined to make sure his future self talked to Harry.

"What about the dragon?" Remus said.

"Stop ruining my moments, Moony."

"**Look, it's Hagrid!" said Hermione.**

**The back of Hagrid's enormous shaggy head-he had mercifully abandoned his bunches-emerged over the crowd. Harry wondered why he hadn't spotted him at once, as Hagrid was so large, but standing up carefully, he saw that Hagrid had been leaning low, talking to Professor Moody. Hagrid had his usual enormous tankard in front of him, but Moody was drinking from his hip flask. Madam Rosmerta, the pretty landlady, didn't seem to think much of this; she was looking askance at Moody as she collected glasses from tables around them. Perhaps she thought it was an insult to her mulled mead, but Harry knew better. Moody had told them all during their last Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson that he preferred to prepare his own food and drink at all times, as it was so easy for Dark wizards to poison an unattended cup.**

"Paranoid, much?" Sirius joked.

The four from the future **(A/N Alliteration!) **exchanged a knowing glance, knowing that the flask didn't contain any normal drink.

**As Harry watched, he saw Hagrid and Moody get up to leave. He waved, then remembered that Hagrid couldn't see him. Moody, however, paused, his magical eye on the corner where Harry was standing. **

"He can see through cloaks?" James said, surprised.

"Good thing he isn't a teacher here now." Sirius said.

**He tapped Hagrid in the small of the back (being unable to reach his shoulder), muttered something to him, and then the pair of them made their way back across the pub toward Harry and Hermione's table.**

"**All right, Hermione?" said Hagrid loudly.**

"**Hello," said Hermione, smiling back.**

**Moody limped around the table and bent down; Harry thought he was reading the S.P.E.W. notebook, until he muttered, "Nice cloak, Potter."**

**Harry stared at him in amazement. The large chunk missing from Moody's nose was particularly obvious at a few inches' distance. Moody grinned.**

"**Can your eye-I mean, can you -?"**

"**Yeah, it can see through Invisibility Cloaks," Moody said quietly. "And it's come in useful at times, I can tell you."**

"Not many people have invisibility cloaks though." Sirius said, slightly suspicious.

**Hagrid was beaming down at Harry too. Harry knew Hagrid couldn't see him, but Moody had obviously told Hagrid he was there. Hagrid now bent down on the pretext of reading the S.P.E.W. notebook as well, and said in a whisper so low that only Harry could hear it, "Harry, meet me tonight at midnight at me cabin. **

"No!" Sirius shouted.

"What?" James asked, startled by Sirius' outburst.

"He has to meet me at one, what if he doesn't make it in time?"

"You'll wait for him."

**Wear that cloak."**

**Straightening up, Hagrid said loudly, "Nice ter see yeh, Hermione," winked, and departed. Moody followed him.**

"**Why does Hagrid want me to meet him at midnight?" Harry said, very surprised.**

"**Does he?" said Hermione, looking startled. "I wonder what he's up to? I don't know whether you should go, Harry…" She looked nervously around and hissed, "It might make you late for Sirius."**

"Exactly."

**It was true that going down to Hagrid's at midnight would mean cutting his meeting with Sirius very fine indeed; Hermione suggested sending Hedwig down to Hagrid's to tell him he couldn't go-always assuming she would consent to take the note, of course-Harry, however, thought it better just to be quick at whatever Hagrid wanted him for. He was very curious to know what this might be; Hagrid had never asked Harry to visit him so late at night.**

**At half past eleven that evening, Harry, who had pretended to go up to bed early, pulled the Invisibility Cloak back over himself and crept back downstairs through the common room. Quite a few people were still in there. The Creevey brothers had managed to get hold of a stack of Support Cedric Diggory! badges and were trying to bewitch them to make them say Support Harry Potter! instead. So far, however, all they had managed to do was get the badges stuck on POTTER STINKS. **

"Well, it was a nice gesture." Lily said with a shrug.

**Harry crept past them to the portrait hole and waited for a minute or so, keeping an eye on his watch. Then Hermione opened the Fat Lady for him from outside as they had planned. **

"We never do that." James said.

"We've gotten her convinced there's a ghost that stays near her and says the passwords in the middle of the night to scare her." Remus said, smiling.

**He slipped past her with a whispered "Thanks!" and set off through the castle.**

**The grounds were very dark. Harry walked down the lawn toward the lights shining in Hagrid's cabin. The inside of the enormous Beauxbatons carriage was also lit up; Harry could hear Madame Maxime talking inside it as he knocked on Hagrid's front door.**

"**You there, Harry?" Hagrid whispered, opening the door and looking around.**

"**Yeah," said Harry, slipping inside the cabin and pulling the cloak down off his head. "What's up?"**

"**Got summat ter show yeh," said Hagrid.**

**There was an air of enormous excitement about Hagrid. He was wearing a flower that resembled an oversized artichoke in his buttonhole. It looked as though he had abandoned the use of axle grease, but he had certainly attempted to comb his hair-Harry could see the comb's broken teeth tangled in it.**

"**What're you showing me?" Harry said warily, wondering if the skrewts had laid eggs, **

"I hope not."

**or Hagrid had managed to buy another giant three-headed dog off a stranger in a pub.**

"**Come with me, keep quiet, an' keep yerself covered with that cloak," said Hagrid. "We won' take Fang, he won' like it…"**

"The Horntail!" Remus suddenly exclaimed.

"Huh?" Peter asked.

"That's what Hagrid is probably going to show Harry, it must have something to do with the First Task."

"I knew it was dragons!" Sirius exclaimed.

"That's not a good thing, Padfoot." James told him.

"Why not?"

"Because Harry has to face them!"

"Oh."

"**Listen, Hagrid, I can't stay long…I've got to be back up at the castle by one o'clock-"**

**But Hagrid wasn't listening; he was opening the cabin door and striding off into the night. Harry hurried to follow and found, to his great surprise, that Hagrid was leading him to the Beauxbatons carriage.**

"**Hagrid, what -?"**

"**Shhh!" said Hagrid, and he knocked three times on the door bearing the crossed golden wands.**

**Madame Maxime opened it. She was wearing a silk shawl wrapped around her massive shoulders. She smiled when she saw Hagrid.**

"**Ah, 'Agrid…it is time?"**

"**Bong-sewer," said Hagrid,**

"What?" Sirius asked.

"I think he was trying to say, 'Bonsoir" Lily said uncertainly.

**beaming at her, and holding out a hand to help her down the golden steps.**

**Madame Maxime closed the door behind her, Hagrid offered her his arm, and they set off around the edge of the paddock containing Madame Maxime's giant winged horses, with Harry, totally bewildered, **

"Us too." Ron said, looking interested.

**running to keep up with them. Had Hagrid wanted to show him Madame Maxime? **

"Harry can see her anytime." James said.

"S'not like she's hard to miss." Sirius muttered.

**He could see her any old time he wanted…she wasn't exactly hard to miss…**

Sirius and James gaped at the book.

"It's still weird." Sirius said.

**But it seemed that Madame Maxime was in for the same treat as Harry, because after a while she said playfully, "Wair is it you are taking me, 'Agrid?"**

"**Yeh'll enjoy this," said Hagrid gruffly, "worth seein', trust me. On'y-don' go tellin' anyone I showed yeh, right? **

Remus snorted, "She won't tell anyone, except Fleur."

**Yeh're not s'posed ter know."**

"**Of course not," said Madame Maxime, fluttering her long black eyelashes.**

**And still they walked, Harry getting more and more irritated as he jogged along in their wake, checking his watch every now and then.**

"Hurry up, Hagrid." Sirius growled through clenched teeth.

**Hagrid had some harebrained scheme in hand, which might make him miss Sirius. If they didn't get there soon, he was going to turn around, go straight back to the castle, and leave Hagrid to enjoy his moonlit stroll with Madame Maxime.**

"As you should." Sirius said.

Seth rolled his eyes.

**But then-when they had walked so far around the perimeter of the forest that the castle and the lake were out of sight-Harry heard something. **

"Dun dun dun!" Sirius shouted again, causing some of the others to jump.

"Stop it!" James yelled, annoyed.

**Men were shouting up ahead…then came a deafening, earsplitting roar…Hagrid **

"It wasn't Hagrid." Sirius said.

A few of the others laughed.

**led Madame Maxime around a clump of trees and came to a halt. Harry hurried up alongside them-for a split second, he thought he was seeing bonfires, and men darting around them-and then his mouth fell open.**

**Dragons.**

Sirius leaned in towards James.

**Four**

"One for each champion." Lily said slowly.

**fully grown, enormous, vicious-looking dragons were rearing onto their hind legs inside an enclosure fenced with thick planks of wood, roaring and snorting-torrents of fire were shooting into the dark sky from their open, fanged mouths, fifty feet above the ground on their outstretched necks. **

Sirius had an expression of longing on his face.

"You're not getting a dragon!" Remus said sternly.

"Moony..." Sirius whined.

"No."

Seth snickered and the others, besides Remus and Sirius, laughed

**There was a silvery-blue one with long, pointed horns, **

"That's a Swedish Short-Snout" said Sirius

**snapping and snarling at the wizards on the ground; a smooth-scaled green one, **

"Common Welsh Green."

**which was writhing and stamping with all its might; a red one with an odd fringe of fine gold spikes around its face,**

"Chinese Fireball."

**which was shooting mushroom-shaped fire clouds into the air; and a gigantic black one, more lizard-like than the others, **

"And that's the Horntail."

**which was nearest to them.**

**At least thirty wizards, seven or eight to each dragon, were attempting to control them, pulling on the chains connected to heavy leather straps around their necks and legs. Mesmerized, Harry looked up, high above him, and saw the eyes of the black dragon, with vertical pupils like a cat's, bulging with either fear or rage, he couldn't tell which…It was making a horrible noise, a yowling, screeching scream.**

"**Keep back there, Hagrid!" yelled a wizard near the fence, straining on the chain he was holding. "They can shoot fire at a range of twenty feet, you know! I've seen this Horntail do forty!"**

Sirius was looking at the book dreamily.

"**Is'n' it beautiful?" said Hagrid softly.**

"_No._" Seth hissed as Lily said, "Not really."

"**It's no good!" yelled another wizard. "Stunning Spells, on the count of three!"**

**Harry saw each of the dragon keepers pull out his wand.**

"**Stupefy!" they shouted in unison, and the Stunning Spells shot into the darkness like fiery rockets, bursting in showers of stars on the dragons' scaly hides-Harry watched the dragon nearest to them teeter dangerously on its back legs; **

"That's going to be loud." Sirius muttered.

"_Really?" _Seth said sarcastically.

**its jaws stretched wide in a silent howl; its nostrils were suddenly devoid of flame, though still smoking-then, very slowly, it fell. Several tons of sinewy, scaly, black dragon hit the ground with a thud that Harry could have sworn made the trees behind him quake.**

**The dragon keepers lowered their wands and walked forward to their fallen charges, each of which was the size of a small hill. **

Sirius let out a low whistle.

**They hurried to tighten the chains and fasten them securely to iron pegs, which they forced deep into the ground with their wands.**

"**Wan' a closer look?" **

"Um...no!" Lily said.

**Hagrid asked Madame Maxime excitedly. The pair of them moved right up to the fence, and Harry followed.**

Lily frowned.

**The wizard who had warned Hagrid not to come any closer turned, and Harry realized who it was: Charlie Weasley.**

"**All right, Hagrid?" he panted, coming over to talk. "They should be okay now-we put them out with a Sleeping Draft on the way here, thought it might be better for them to wake up in the dark and the quiet-**

"That worked real well," Ginny said.

**but, like you saw, they weren't happy, not happy at all-"**

"**What breeds you got here, Charlie?" **

"Common Welsh Green, Chinese Fireball, Swedish Snort-Snout and a Hungarian Horntail." Sirius recited.

Lily silenced him, tired of his dragon-crazed interruptions.

'How come we can't silence you?' Sirius wrote with his wand.

"We could," James said, "but that would be incredibly stupid."

**said Hagrid, gazing at the closest dragon, the black one, with something chose to reverence. Its eyes were still just open. Harry could see a strip of gleaming yellow beneath its wrinkled black eyelid.**

"**This is a Hungarian Horntail," said Charlie. "There's a Common Welsh Green over there, the smaller one—a Swedish Short-Snout, that blue-gray-and a Chinese Fireball, that's the red."**

**Charlie looked around; Madame Maxime was strolling away around the edge of the enclosure, gazing at the stunned dragons.**

"**I didn't know you were bringing her, Hagrid," **

"He shouldn't have." James said.

"Well, technically, he shouldn't have brought Harry either." Remus said logically.

**Charlie said, frowning. "The champions aren't supposed to know what's coming**

Remus coughed, looking pointedly at Harry, who smiled.

**-she's bound to tell her student, isn't she?"**

"**Jus' thought she'd like ter see 'em," shrugged Hagrid, still gazing, enraptured, at the dragons.**

"**Really romantic date, Hagrid," said Charlie, shaking his head.**

Seth snickered, as did James and a silent Sirius.

"**Four…" said Hagrid, "so it's one fer each o' the champions, is it? What've they gotta do-fight 'em?"**

James and Lily paled and Remus said, "I hope not."

"**Just get past them, I think," **

"Good."

**said Charlie. "We'll be on hand if it gets nasty, Extinguishing Spells at the ready. They wanted nesting mothers,**

James paused to think about this with the others.

Sirius had a look off realization on his face, 'I know! Someone un-silence me, please!'

Curious, Remus un-silenced Sirius.

"Bet they have to get an egg from them."

"Aren't dragons _very _protective of their eggs?" Peter asked.

Sirius nodded, not liking the idea of Harry having to face that.

**I don't know why…but I tell you this, I don't envy the one who gets the Horntail. **

"Bet it's Harry, what with his fantastic luck and all." Sirius said sarcastically.

**Vicious thing. Its back end's as dangerous as its front, look."**

**Charlie pointed toward the Horntail's tail, and Harry saw long, bronze-colored spikes protruding along it every few inches.**

**Five of Charlie's fellow keepers staggered up to the Horntail at that moment, carrying a clutch of huge granite-gray eggs between them in a blanket. They placed them carefully at the Horntail's side. Hagrid let out a moan of longing.**

"**I've got them counted, Hagrid," **

James, Ron, Harry and Seth all snickered.

**said Charlie sternly. Then he said, "How's Harry?"**

"Just great." James said sarcastically.

"Especially with all those _lovely _articles about him." Sirius added.

"**Fine,"**

"Is not." Lily said.

"He's too distracted by the eggs." Remus said, smiling slightly.

**said Hagrid. He was still gazing at the eggs.**

"See?"

"**Just hope he's still fine after he's faced this lot," said Charlie grimly, looking out over the dragons' enclosure. "I didn't dare tell Mum what he's got to do for the first task; **

Harry, Ron, Sirius and James all shuddered.

**she's already having kittens about him…" Charlie imitated his mother's anxious voice. "'How could they let him enter that tournament, he's much too young! I thought they were all safe, I thought there was going to be an age limit!' She was in floods after that Daily Prophet article about him. 'He still cries about his parents! Oh bless him, I never knew!'"**

James and Lily scowled.

**Harry had had enough.**

"Good, now you can go see me!" Sirius said, smiling.

**Trusting to the fact that Hagrid wouldn't miss him, with the attractions of four dragons and Madame Maxime to occupy him, he turned silently and began to walk away, back to the castle.**

**He didn't know whether he was glad he'd seen what was coming or not. Perhaps this way was better. **

"At least now you have a better way to prepare." Lily said.

"But what do you do against a dragon?" James asked.

**The first shock was over now. Maybe if he'd seen the dragons for the first time on Tuesday, he would have passed out cold in front of the whole school…but maybe he would anyway…He was going to be armed with his wand-which, just now, felt like nothing more than a narrow strip of wood-against a fifty-foot-high, scaly, spike-ridden, fire-breathing dragon. And he had to get past it. With everyone watching. How?**

"Good question." Sirius said.

"_How _do _you get past it?" _Seth asked.

Harry didn't really think Seth counted so he told him what he'd done.

**Harry sped up, skirting the edge of the forest; he had just under fifteen minutes to get back to the fireside and talk to Sirius,**

"He better hurry." Sirius said worriedly.

"You'll wait for him." James assured.

"I might not have much time _to _wait."

**and he couldn't remember, ever, wanting to talk to someone more than he did right now—when, without warning, he ran into something very solid.**

"A tree?" James wondered.

**Harry fell backward, his glasses askew, clutching the cloak around him. A voice nearby said, "Ouch! Who's there?"**

"No, a person." Remus corrected.

**Harry hastily checked that the cloak was covering him and lay very still, staring up at the dark outline of the wizard he had hit. He recognized the goatee…it was Karkaroff.**

"What's he doing wondering around in the middle of the night?" Lily said suspiciously.

"Maybe he heard about the dragons."

"**Who's there?" said Karkaroff again, very suspiciously, looking around in the darkness. Harry remained still and silent. After a minute or so, Karkaroff seemed to decide that he had hit some sort of animal; he was looking around at waist height, as though expecting to see a dog. **

Sirius looked offended.

**Then he crept back under the cover of the trees and started to edge forward toward the place where the dragons were.**

**Very slowly and very carefully, Harry got to his feet and set off again as fast as he could without making too much noise, hurrying through the darkness back toward Hogwarts.**

**He had no doubt whatsoever what Karkaroff was up to. He had sneaked off his ship to try and find out what the first task was going to be. He might even have spotted Hagrid and Madame Maxime heading off around the forest together–they were hardly difficult to spot at a distance…and now all Karkaroff had to do was follow the sound of voices, and he, like Madame Maxime, would know what was in store for the champions.**

"That means the only person who won't know is Cedric." James said, feeling sorry for the Hufflepuff.

**By the looks of it, the only champion who would be facing the unknown on Tuesday was Cedric.**

James gaped at the book.

**Harry reached the castle, slipped in through the front doors, and began to climb the marble stairs; he was very out of breath, but he didn't dare slow down…He had less than five minutes to get up to the fire.**

"Hurry." Sirius hissed, nervous.

"**Balderdash!" he gasped at the Fat Lady, who was snoozing in her frame in front of the portrait hole.**

"**If you say so," she muttered sleepily, without opening her eyes, and the picture swung forward to admit him. Harry climbed inside. The common room was deserted, and, judging by the fact that it smelled quite normal, Hermione had not needed to set off any Dungbombs to ensure that he and Sirius got privacy. Harry pulled off the Invisibility Cloak and threw himself into an armchair in front of the fire. The room was in semidarkness; the flames were the only source of light. Nearby, on a table, the Support Cedric Diggory! badges the Creeveys had been trying to improve were glinting in the firelight. They now read POTTER REALLY STINKS. **

"That's so much better." James said sarcastically as Seth snickered.

**Harry looked back into the flames, and jumped. Sirius's head was sitting in the fire. **

Sirius let out a sigh of relief and had a sudden thought, "Can I read my lines, Prongs? Pleeeeaase?" he said, stretching out the last word.

James sighed and nodded, "But if I ever have any lines I get to read them."

Sirius nodded in agreement and went to sit on the arm of the couch beside James, leaning over to see the book clearly.

**If Harry hadn't seen Mr. Diggory do exactly this back in the Weasleys' kitchen, it would have scared him out of his wits.**

**Instead, his face breaking into the first smile he had worn for days, **

Sirius smiled warmly.

**he scrambled out of his chair, crouched down by the hearth, and said, "Sirius-how're you doing?"**

**Sirius looked different from Harry's memory of him. When they had said goodbye, Sirius's face had been gaunt and sunken, surrounded by a quantity of long, black, matted hair-but the hair was short and clean now, Sirius's face was fuller, and he looked younger, **

"Good." Sirius said.

**much more like the only photograph Harry had of him, which had been taken at the Potters' wedding.**

"**Never mind me, how are you?" said Sirius seriously.**

Sirius bit his lip to keep from using the Sirius-serious pun.

"**I'm-" For a second, Harry tried to say "fine" **

"You are not, tell me the truth." Sirius said strictly.

James, Peter, Lily and Remus looked startled at his tone.

**-but he couldn't do it. Before he could stop himself, he was talking more than he'd talked in days-about how no one believed he hadn't entered the tournament of his own free will, how Rita Skeeter had lied about him in the Daily Prophet, how he couldn't walk down a corridor without being sneered at-and about Ron, Ron not believing him, Ron's jealousy…**

Ron gave Harry an apologetic, guilty look.

"…**and now Hagrid's just shown me what's coming in the first task, and it's dragons, Sirius, and I'm a goner," **

"Na, Sirius'll think of something." James assured.

**he finished desperately.**

**Sirius looked at him, eyes full of concern, **

Sirius tried to duplicate this look and succeeded easily.

**eyes that had not yet lost the look that Azkaban had given them-that deadened, haunted look.**

Sirius gulped, he was _not _looking forward to that in his future.

**He had let Harry talk himself into silence without interruption, but now he said, "Dragons we can deal with, **

"How?" Lily asked.

Sirius racked his brain for a spell that might be useful against a dragon, "A Conjunctivitis Curse? That'd work against a dragon."

**Harry, but we'll get to that in a minute-**

"I hope you get around to telling him about it." Lily said.

**I haven't got long here…**

"Knew it." Sirius mumbled.

**I've broken into a wizarding house to use the fire, but they could be back at any time. There are things I need to warn you about."**

"**What?" said Harry, feeling his spirits slip a further few notches…Surely there could be nothing worse than dragons coming?**

"**Karkaroff," said Sirius. "Harry, he was a Death Eater.**

Remus' eyebrows raised and the others looked just as surprised.

**You know what Death Eaters are, don't you?"**

"I don't know if I should be glad you don't know about them or not. Not knowing is good because it means your time is better than ours but it also means we didn't teach you about them." James said.

"**Yes-he-what?"**

"**He was caught, he was in Azkaban with me, **

Sirius shivered.

**but he got released. I'd bet everything that's why Dumbledore wanted an Auror at Hogwarts this year–to keep an eye on him. Moody caught Karkaroff. Put him into Azkaban in the first place."**

"**Karkaroff got released?" Harry said slowly-his brain seemed to be struggling to absorb yet another piece of shocking information. "Why did they release him?"**

"**He did a deal with the Ministry of Magic," said Sirius bitterly. **

Sirius mirrored his future self's tone perfectly, adding to the effect.

"**He said he'd seen the error of his ways, and then he named names…he put a load of other people into Azkaban in his place…**

"Bet he's real popular there." Ron said sarcastically.

**He's not very popular in there, I can tell you. And since he got out, from what I can tell, he's been teaching the Dark Arts to every student who passes through that school of his. So watch out for the Durmstrang champion as well."**

"**Okay," said Harry slowly. "But…are you saying Karkaroff put my name in the goblet? **

"I don't think so, he was pretty angry when you're name was called." Remus said.

**Because if he did, he's a really good actor. He seemed furious about it. He wanted to stop me from competing."**

"**We know he's a good actor," said Sirius, "because he convinced the Ministry of Magic to set him free, didn't he? Now, I've been keeping an eye on the Daily Prophet, Harry…"**

"Which is full of rubbish." Sirius added.

"**-you and the rest of the world," said Harry bitterly.**

"**-and reading between the lines of that Skeeter woman's article last month, Moody was attacked the night before he started at Hogwarts. Yes, I know she says it was another false alarm," Sirius said hastily, seeing Harry about to speak, "but I don't think so, somehow. I think someone tried to stop him from getting to Hogwarts. I think someone knew their job would be a lot more difficult with him around. And no one's going to look into it too closely; Mad-Eye's heard intruders a bit too often. But that doesn't mean he can't still spot the real thing. Moody was the best Auror the Ministry ever had."**

"**So…what are you saying?" said Harry slowly. "Karkaroff's trying to kill me? But-why?"**

**Sirius hesitated.**

Present day Sirius did the same, pausing uncertainly before continuing.

"**I've been hearing some very strange things," he said slowly. "The Death Eaters seem to be a bit more active than usual lately. They showed themselves at the Quidditch World Cup, didn't they? Someone set off the Dark Mark…and then-did you hear about that Ministry of Magic witch who's gone missing?"**

"**Bertha Jorkins?" said Harry.**

"**Exactly…she disappeared in Albania, and that's definitely where Voldemort was rumored to be last…**

"Are you saying Voldemort's planning a return?" James asked Sirius.

"I think so." He responded.

**and she would have known the Triwizard Tournament was coming up, wouldn't she?"**

"**Yeah, but…it's not very likely she'd have walked straight into Voldemort, is it?" said Harry.**

"She never was very intelligent." Remus said.

"**Listen, I knew Bertha Jorkins," said Sirius grimly. "She was at Hogwarts when I was, a few years above your dad and me. And she was an idiot. Very nosy, but no brains, none at all. It's not a good combination, Harry. I'd say she'd be very easy to lure into a trap."**

"**So…so Voldemort could have found out about the tournament?" said Harry. "Is that what you mean? You think Karkaroff might be here on his orders?"**

"Someone is." Lily said.

"**I don't know," said Sirius slowly, "I just don't know…Karkaroff doesn't strike me as the type who'd go back to Voldemort unless he knew Voldemort was powerful enough to protect him. But whoever put your name in that goblet did it for a reason, and I can't help thinking the tournament would be a very good way to attack you and make it hook like an accident."**

"**Looks hike a really good plan from where I'm standing," said Harry grinning bleakly. "They'll just have to stand back and let the dragons do their stuff."**

"**Right-these dragons," said Sirius, speaking very quickly now. **

"Someone coming on your end of the Floo, you reckon?" James asked.

"Probably whoever owns the house."

"**There's a way, Harry. Don't be tempted to try a Stunning Spell-dragons are strong and too powerfully magical to be knocked out by a single Stunner, you need about half a dozen wizards at a time to overcome a dragon-"**

"**Yeah, I know, I just saw," said Harry.**

"**But you can do it alone," said Sirius. "There is away, and a simple spell's all you need. Just-"**

**But Harry held up a hand to silence him, **

"No!"

**his heart suddenly pounding as though it would burst. He could hear footsteps coming down the spiral staircase behind him.**

"**Go!" he hissed at Sirius. "Go! There's someone coming!"**

James cursed and Lily didn't bother to scold him.

**Harry scrambled to his feet, hiding the fire-if someone saw Sirius's face within the walls of Hogwarts, they would raise an almighty uproar-the Ministry would get dragged in-he, Harry, would be questioned about Sirius's whereabouts-Harry heard a tiny pop! in the fire behind him and knew Sirius had gone. **

Sirius sighed miserably, "I couldn't of just told him the spell before I left?" He said, frustrated with his future self.

**He watched the bottom of the spiral staircase. Who had decided to go for a stroll at one o'clock in the morning, and stopped Sirius from telling him how to get past a dragon? It was Ron.**

Sirius growled and he, Lily and James all turned to glare at Ron.

**Dressed in his maroon paisley pajamas, Ron stopped dead facing Harry across the room, and looked around.**

"**Who were you talking to?" he said.**

"**What's that got to do with you?" Harry snarled. "What are you doing down here at this time of night?"**

"**I just wondered where you-" Ron broke off, shrugging. "Nothing. I'm going back to bed."**

"**Just thought you'd come nosing around, did you?" Harry shouted. He knew that Ron had no idea what he'd walked in on, knew he hadn't done it on purpose, but he didn't care**

Lily gave Harry a scolding look.

**-at this moment he hated everything about Ron, right down to the several inches of bare ankle showing beneath his pajama trousers.**

Ron blushed and Harry gave him a sheepish expression.

"**Sorry about that," said Ron, his face reddening with anger. "Should've realized you didn't want to be disturbed. I'll let you get on with practicing for your next interview in peace."**

Lily gave Ron the same expression she had given Harry.

**Harry seized one of the POTTER REALLY STINKS badges off the table and chucked it, as hard as he could, across the room. It hit Ron on the forehead and bounced off.**

"**There you go," Harry said. "Something for you to wear on Tuesday. You might even have a scar now, if you're lucky…That's what you want, isn't it?"**

**He strode across the room toward the stairs; he half expected Ron to stop him, he would even have liked Ron to throw a punch at him, but Ron just stood there in his too-small pajamas, and Harry, having stormed upstairs, lay awake in bed fuming for a long time afterward and didn't hear him come up to bed.**

James held the book out to Ron as Sirius returned to his chair.

**A/N: I've had lots of questions about whether or not I'm going to do all seven books, and my answer to that is yes AND no. I am going to do the remanding books but I'm not going to go back and do books on and two. So, I'm going to do, in all, Prisoner of Azkaban, Goblet of Fire, Order of the Phoenix, Half-Blood Prince, and Deathly Hallows. I also plan on doing either a sequel about how everything changed or an extra chapter, depending on how much I feel like writting when the time comes. **

**So, as always, I would really love some reviews!  
**


	21. The First Task

**CHAPTER TWENTY  
THE FIRST TASK **

James and Lily exchanged a nervous glance.

**Harry got up on Sunday morning and dressed so inattentively that it was a while before he realized he was trying to pull his hat onto his foot instead of his sock. When he'd finally got all his clothes on the right parts of his body, he hurried off to find Hermione, locating her at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, where she was eating breakfast with Ginny. Feeling too queasy to eat, Harry waited until Hermione had swallowed her last spoonful of porridge, then dragged her out onto the grounds. There, he told her all about the dragons, and about everything Sirius had said, while they took another long walk around the lake. **

**Alarmed as she was by Sirius's warnings about Karkaroff, Hermione still thought that the dragons were the more pressing problem.**

"Sirius didn't seem to think that." James muttered.

"**Let's just try and keep you alive until Tuesday evening," she said desperately, "and then we can worry about Karkaroff." **

"Excellent plan." Sirius said.

**They walked three times around the lake, trying all the way to think of a simple spell that would subdue a dragon. Nothing whatsoever occurred to them, so they retired to the library instead. **

"Oh no." James said dramatically.

Remus and Lily each threw a pillow at him.

**Here, Harry pulled down every book he could find on dragons, and both of them set to work searching through the large pile. **

"**Talon-clipping by charms…treating scale-rot…This is no good, this is for nutters like Hagrid who want to keep them healthy…"**

"Or Sirius." James muttered.

"Oh, shut up." Sirius growled.

Everyone except Sirius laughed.

"**Dragons are extremely difficult to slay, owing to the ancient magic that imbues their thick hides, which none but the most powerful spells can penetrate…'**

"Great." Lily muttered sarcastically.

** But Sirius said a simple one would do it…" **

"**Let's try some simple spellbooks, then," said Harry, throwing aside **_**Men Who Love Dragons Too Much. **_

James snickered, looking pointedly at Sirius.

Sirius pelted him with a couple stress balls.

**He returned to the table with a pile of spellbooks, set them down, and began to flick through each in turn, Hermione whispering nonstop at his elbow. **

"**Well, there are Switching Spells…but what's the point of Switching it? Unless you swapped its fangs for wine-gums or something that would make it less dangerous…**

"That won't help too much. It could still bite with a tremendous amount of force without having teeth, and the tail could cause a considerable amount of damage." Sirius reasoned.

"Wow, Padfoot, you used lots of big words." James congratulated.

Sirius huffed.

**The trouble is, like that book said, not much is going to get through a dragon's hide…I'd say Transfigure it, but something that big, you really haven't got a hope, I doubt even Professor McGonagall…unless you're supposed to put the spell on yourself? Maybe to give yourself extra powers?**

"That would be awesome." Sirius mumbled.

"And he's back to his normal self." James muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"You went from a sentence with a long, 5 syllable word, to a short, two syllable word."

Sirius stuck his tongue out at him and Ron continued reading before they could continue their discussion.

** But they're not simple spells, I mean, we haven't done any of those in class, I only know about them because I've been doing O.W.L. practice papers…" **

"**Hermione," Harry said, through gritted teeth, "will you shut up for a bit, please? **

"That was nice of you." Sirius said sarcastically.

"Well," Harry responded, "I was just a _bit_ stressed out."

**I'm trying to concentrate." **

**But all that happened, when Hermione fell silent, was that Harry's brain filled with a sort of blank buzzing, which didn't seem to allow room for concentration. He stared hopelessly down the index of Basic Hexes for the Busy and Vexed. Instant scalping…but dragons had no hair…pepper breath…**

"Probably not the best idea." Sirius said.

**that would probably increase a dragon's firepower…horn tongue…just what he needed, to give it an extra weapon… **

"**Oh no, he's back again, why can't he read on his stupid ship?" said Hermione irritably as Viktor Krum slouched in, **

"For someone who has so much talent on a broom, he sure is horrible at walking." Lily said.

**cast a surly look over at the pair of them, and settled himself in a distant corner with a pile of books."Come on, Harry, we'll go back to the common room…his fan club'll be here in a moment, twittering away…" **

**And sure enough, as they left the library, a gang of girls tiptoed past them, one of them wearing a Bulgaria scarf tied around her waist. **

**Harry barely slept that night. **

Lily and James frowned deeply.

**When he awoke on Monday morning, he seriously considered for the first time ever just running away from Hogwarts. **

"Where's he going to go?" James reasoned, wishing that he was still alive in the future, he would _not _have allowed anyone to enter Harry in the first place. Even if they had somehow, Harry would still have a home in case he _did _want to run away from Hogwarts.

**But as he looked around the Great Hall at breakfast time, and thought about what leaving the castle would mean, he knew he couldn't do it. It was the only place he had ever been happy…well, he supposed he must have been happy with his parents too, but he couldn't remember that. **

James and Lily sighed.

"Moony," Sirius said, "please tell me we are going to change the future. I hate seeing Prongs and Lily like this."

Remus looked thoughtful for a moment, "I guess that's why we have the books, that, and everyone knows we aren't going to just sit here and do nothing."

"So, we will change the future? Keep Prongs and Lily alive? Make sure Peter doesn't go traitor?"-Peter flinched-"Kill off Voldemort before any of this can happen?" Sirius said eagerly.

"Whoa, slow down Sirius." Remus said, smiling slightly, "I think we need to figure out how everything turns out first before we decide what to do."

Sirius nodded, glad that they were going to do _something_ when he had an idea.

"Wormtail?" he asked, Peter looked up at him, "Would you be willing to take an unbreakable vow that you'll never go on Voldemort's side? To further ensure Lily and James will survive?"

Peter contimplated this idea, he had already decided more or less that he wouldn't turn Death Eater. He hated his future self for betraying Lily and James, and couldn't understand how he could do something like this.

He also knew that he was weak, and that he might still turn traitor and regret it later on, so he made a decision.

"I'll do it." he siad.

_"What is that...?" Seth asked Harry uncertainly._

_"You're about to see." Harry answered.  
_

Sirius gave him a grateful, proud look and asked James to be the Bonder.

James agreed and Sirius and Peter kneeled opposite of each other and grasped right hands.

James took out his wand and placed it on their linked hands.

"Will you, Peter Pettigrew, vow to never betray any of you friends?" Sirius said.

"I will." Peter said, watching as a thin flame came out of James' wand and wound it self around his and Sirius' hands.

Seth gasped, (if possible for a snake) and slithered closer, fascinated.

Sirius and James glanced at him warily before continuing.

"And will you promise never to join Lord Voldemort, or follow him in anyway."

"I will."

Another thin tongue of fire shot out of the wand and intertwined with the first, making a glowing chain.

"Do you vow to never reveal the location of the Potters to anyone once they pick you as Secret Keeper?"

"I will."

A last, unique flame came out of the wand and caused James', Sirius', and Peter's faces to glow red from the blaze of it as it joined and twisted with the others and bound itself thickly around their hands, like a fiery snake.

Seth hissed softly in fascination and slithered back to Harry.

After a moment of awed silence, Sirius and Peter got up from the floor and James put his wand away.

"Thank you, Peter." James said sincerely; Lily nodded in agreement.

"It's the least I could do, especially after everything Harry had to go to. As well as Sirius and Remus." Peter said.

After a few minutes, Ron started reading again.

**Somehow, the knowledge that he would rather be here and facing a dragon than back on Privet Drive with Dudley was good to know; it made him feel slightly calmer. He finished his bacon with difficulty (his throat wasn't working too well), and as he and Hermione got up, he saw Cedric Diggory leaving the Hufflepuff table. **

**Cedric still didn't know about the dragons…the only champion who didn't, if Harry was right in thinking that Maxime and Karkaroff would have told Fleur and Krum… **

"Of course they did." Sirius said.

"**Hermione, I'll see you in the greenhouses," Harry said, coming to his decision as he watched Cedric leaving the Hall. "Go on, I'll catch you up." **

"**Harry, you'll be late, the bell's about to ring -" **

"**I'll catch you up, okay?" **

**By the time Harry reached the bottom of the marble staircase, Cedric was at the top. He was with a load of sixth-year friends. Harry didn't want to talk to Cedric in front of them; they were among those who had been quoting Rita Skeeter's article at him every time he went near them. **

**He followed Cedric at a distance and saw that he was heading toward the Charms corridor. This gave Harry an idea. Pausing at a distance from them, he pulled out his wand, and took careful aim. **

"_**Diffindo!**_**" **

**Cedric's bag split. Parchment, quills, and books spilled out of it onto the floor. Several bottles of ink smashed. **

"The amount of time we've used that spell..." James said, reminiscing.

"**Don't bother," said Cedric in an exasperated voice as his friends bent down to help him. "Tell Flitwick I'm coming, go on…" **

**This was exactly what Harry had been hoping for. He slipped his wand back into his robes, waited until Cedric's friends had disappeared into their classroom, and hurried up the corridor, which was now empty of everyone but himself and Cedric. **

"**Hi," said Cedric, picking up a copy of A Guide to Advanced Transfiguration that was now splattered with ink. "My bag just split…brand-new and all…" **

"**Cedric," said Harry, "the first task is dragons." **

"That was-" James said.

"-Straight to the point." Sirius finished.

"**What?" said Cedric, looking up. **

"**Dragons," said Harry, speaking quickly, in case Professor Flitwick came out to see where Cedric had got to. "They've got four, one for each of us, and we've got to get past them." **

**Cedric stared at him. Harry saw some of the panic he'd been feeling since Saturday night flickering in Cedric's gray eyes. **

"**Are you sure?" Cedric said in a hushed voice. **

"**Dead sure," said Harry. "I've seen them." **

"**But how did you find out? We're not supposed to know…" **

"**Never mind," said Harry quickly-he knew Hagrid would be in trouble if he told the truth. "But I'm not the only one who knows. Fleur and Krum will know by now - Maxime and Karkaroff both saw the dragons too." **

**Cedric straightened up, his arms full of inky quills, parchment, and books, his ripped bag dangling off one shoulder. He stared at Harry, and there was a puzzled, almost suspicious look in his eyes. **

"**Why are you telling me?" he asked. **

"So there's an even playing field." James said.

**Harry looked at him in disbelief. He was sure Cedric wouldn't have asked that if he had seen the dragons himself. Harry wouldn't have let his worst enemy face those monsters unprepared - well, perhaps Malfoy or Snape… **

James, Sirius and Seth snickered.

"**It's just…fair, isn't it?" he said to Cedric. "We all know now…we're on an even footing, aren't we?" **

**Cedric was still looking at him in a slightly suspicious way **

"He's doing you a _favor_, Diggory!" James said, annoyed.

**when Harry heard a familiar clunking noise behind him. He turned around and saw Mad-Eye Moody emerging from a nearby classroom. **

"**Come with me, Potter," he growled. "Diggory, off you go." **

"He didn't over hear, did he?" Sirius asked worriedly.

**Harry stared apprehensively at Moody. Had he overheard them? **

"**Er - Professor, I'm supposed to be in Herbology -" **

"**Never mind that, Potter. In my office, please…" **

**Harry followed him, wondering what was going to happen to him now. What if Moody wanted to know how he'd found out about the dragons? Would Moody go to Dumbledore and tell on Hagrid, or just turn Harry into a ferret?**

"That would be pretty amusing but I don't think Harry would make a good ferret." Sirius said.

** Well, it might be easier to get past a dragon if he were a ferret, Harry thought dully, he'd be smaller, much less easy to see from a height of fifty feet… **

**He followed Moody into his office. Moody closed the door behind them and turned to look at Harry, his magical eye fixed upon him as well as the normal one. **

"**That was a very decent thing you just did, Potter," Moody said quietly. **

**Harry didn't know what to say; this wasn't the reaction he had expected at all. **

"**Sit down," said Moody, and Harry sat, looking around. **

**He had visited this office under two of its previous occupants. In Professor Lockhart's day, the walls had been plastered with beaming, winking pictures of Professor Lockhart himself.**

Ron and Harry made a face, causing some of the others to laugh.

** When Lupin had lived here, **

Everyone except Remus and Seth cheered, causing Remus to blush slightly and Seth to hiss in annoyance.

**you were more likely to come across a specimen of some fascinating new Dark creature he had procured for them to study in class. Now, however, the office was full of a number of exceptionally odd objects that Harry supposed Moody had used in the days when he had been an Auror. **

**On his desk stood what looked hike a large, cracked, glass spinning top; Harry recognized it at once as a Sneakoscope, because he owned one himself, though it was much smaller than Moody's. In the corner on a small table stood an object that looked something like an extra-squiggly, golden television aerial. **

"Sensory Sensor?" James questioned, having studied some Dark Detectors already because of his ambition to be an Auror.

"I think so." Remus agreed.

**It was humming slightly. What appeared to be a mirror hung opposite Harry on the wall, but it was not reflecting the room. Shadowy figures were moving around inside it, none of them clearly in focus. **

"That's defiantly a Foe-Glass." James said.

"**Like my Dark Detectors, do you?" said Moody, who was watching Harry closely. **

"**What's that?" Harry asked, pointing at the squiggly golden aerial. **

"**Secrecy Sensor. Vibrates when it detects concealment and lies…no use here, of course, too much interference - students in every direction lying about why they haven't done their homework.**

James and Sirius exchanged a glance and grinned.

** Been humming ever since I got here. I had to disable my Sneakoscope because it wouldn't stop whistling. It's extra-sensitive, picks up stuff about a mile around. Of course, it could be picking up more than kid stuff," he added in a growl. **

"**And what's the mirror for?" **

"**Oh that's my Foe-Glass. See them out there, skulking around? I'm not really in trouble until I see the whites of their eyes. That's when I open my trunk." **

**He let out a short, harsh laugh, and pointed to the large trunk under the window. It had seven keyholes in a row. Harry wondered what was in there, until Moody's next question brought him sharply back to earth. **

"**So…found out about the dragons, have you?" **

**Harry hesitated. He'd been afraid of this - but he hadn't told Cedric, and he certainly wasn't going to tell Moody, that Hagrid had broken the rules. **

"**It's all right," said Moody, sitting down and stretching out his wooden leg with a groan. "Cheating's a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and always has been." **

"Well, that's...a good thing, I suppose." Ron muttered.

"**I didn't cheat," said Harry sharply. "It was - a sort of accident that I found out." **

**Moody grinned. "I wasn't accusing you, laddie. I've been telling Dumbledore from the start, he can be as high-minded as he likes, but you can bet old Karkaroff and Maxime won't be. They'll have told their champions everything they can. They want to win. They want to beat Dumbledore. They'd like to prove he's only human."**

"They won't beat Dumbledore, Harry'll win." James assured.

"I'm so glad you didn't get you father's ego." Lily told Harry, causing James to huff.

**Moody gave another harsh laugh, and his magical eye swiveled around so fast it made Harry feel queasy to watch it. **

"**So…got any ideas how you're going to get past your dragon yet?" said Moody. **

"**No," said Harry. **

"**Well, I'm not going to tell you," said Moody gruffly. "I don't show favoritism, me. I'm just going to give you some good, general advice. And the first bit is–play to your strengths." **

"What's Harry good at?" James mumbled to himself, thinking.

"You say it like he has none!" Sirius said, smiling.

"**I haven't got any," said Harry, before he could stop himself. **

"**Excuse me," growled Moody, "you've got strengths if I say you've got them. Think now. What are you best at?" **

**Harry tried to concentrate. What was he best at? Well, that was easy, really– **

"**Quidditch," he said dully, "and a fat lot of help-" **

"Flying! He could fly around the dragon, for sure!" James said confidently.

Lily shook her head, "I am so glad the tournament wasn't brought back in our time."

"**That's right," said Moody, staring at him very hard, his magical eye barely moving at all. "You're a damn good flier from what I've heard."**

Lily glared at the book for cursing, and then felt a but silly.

"**Yeah, but…" Harry stared at him. "I'm not allowed a broom, I've only got my wand…" **

"Accio." Remus said.

"To bad Harry stinks at that spell." Sirius said glumly.

"**My second piece of general advice," said Moody loudly, interrupting him, "is to use a nice, simple spell that will enable you to get what you need." **

**Harry looked at him blankly. What did he need? **

"You're broom!"

"**Come on, boy…" whispered Moody. "Put them together…it's not that difficult…" **

**And it clicked. He was best at flying. He needed to pass the dragon in the air. For that, he needed his Firebolt. And for his Firebolt, he needed – **

"**Hermione," **

"Um...no." Peter said, slightly confused.

**Harry whispered, when he had sped into greenhouse three minutes later, uttering a hurried apology to Professor Sprout as he passed her. "Hermione - I need you to help me." **

"**What d'you think I've been trying to do, Harry?" she whispered back, her eyes round with anxiety over the top of the quivering Flutterby Bush she was pruning. **

"**Hermione, I need to learn how to do a Summoning Charm properly by tomorrow afternoon." **

**And so they practiced. They didn't have lunch,**

"Oh no!" Sirius cried.

"For once, I'm going to have to agree with the dog that has the bottom-less stomach. Harry _does _need to eat." Lily said.

** but headed for a free classroom, where Harry tried with all his might to make various objects fly across the room toward him. He was still having problems. The books and quills kept losing heart halfway across the room and dropping hike stones to the floor. **

"**Concentrate, Harry, concentrate…" **

"**What d'you think I'm trying to do?" said Harry angrily. "A great big dragon keeps popping up in my head for some reason…Okay, try again…" **

**He wanted to skip Divination to keep practicing,**

James and Sirius eagerly voiced their opinions on this plan.

** but Hermione refused pointblank to skive off Arithmancy,**

"Darn." James said.

** and there was no point in staying without her. He therefore had to endure over an hour of Professor Trelawney, who spent half the lesson telling everyone that the position of Mars with relation to Saturn at that moment meant that people born in July were in great danger of sudden, violent deaths. **

"Great." James muttered.

Harry contemplated this theory for a moment, technically he _had _died before (if only momentarily) and it hadn't really been sudden or violent.

"**Well, that's good," said Harry loudly, his temper getting the better of him, "just as long as it's not drawn-out. I don't want to suffer." **

**Ron looked for a moment as though he was going to laugh; he certainly caught Harry's eye for the first time in days, but Harry was still feeling too resentful toward Ron to care. He spent the rest of the lesson trying to attract small objects toward him under the table with his wand. He managed to make a fly zoom straight into his hand, though he wasn't entirely sure that was his prowess at Summoning Charms - perhaps the fly was just stupid. **

"Maybe it's a Sirius fly." James said.

Sirius glared at him and hit him in the head with a stress ball.

**He forced down some dinner after Divination, then returned to the empty classroom with Hermione, using the Invisibility Cloak to avoid the teachers. They kept practicing until past midnight. They would have stayed longer, but Peeves turned up and, pretending to think that Harry wanted things thrown at him, started chucking chairs across the room.**

Sirius jotted this down on his revenge list and then wrote it down on his pranking ideas list.

** Harry and Hermione left in a hurry before the noise attracted Filch, and went back to the Gryffindor common room, which was now mercifully empty. **

**At two o'clock in the morning, Harry stood near the fireplace, surrounded by heaps of objects: **

"He should really get to sleep, he'll be to tired for the task tomorrow."

**books, quills, several upturned chairs, an old set of Gobstones, and Neville's toad, Trevor. Only in the last hour had Harry really got the hang of the Summoning Charm. **

"**That's better, Harry, that's loads better," Hermione said, looking exhausted but very pleased. **

"**Well, now we know what to do next time I can't manage a spell," Harry said, throwing a rune dictionary back to Hermione, so he could try again, "threaten me with a dragon. Right…" He raised his wand once more. "**_**Accio Dictionary!**_**" The heavy book soared out of Hermione's hand, flew across the room, and Harry caught it. **

"**Harry, I really think you've got it!" said Hermione delightedly. **

"**Just as long as it works tomorrow," Harry said. "The Firebolt's going to be much farther away than the stuff in here, it's going to be in the castle, and I'm going to be out there on the grounds…" **

"You can do it!" Sirius shouted enthusiastically.

Seth hissed at him.

"**That doesn't matter," said Hermione firmly. "Just as long as you're concentrating really, really hard on it, it'll come. Harry, we'd better get some sleep…you're going to need it." **

**Harry had been focusing so hard on learning the Summoning Charm that evening that some of his blind panic had left him. It returned in full measure, however, on the following morning. The atmosphere in the school was one of great tension and excitement. Lessons were to stop at midday, giving all the students time to get down to the dragons' enclosure - though of course, they didn't yet know what they would find there. **

**Harry felt oddly separate from everyone around him, whether they were wishing him good luck or hissing "We'll have a box of tissues ready, Potter" as he passed. **

Harry supplied Sirius with a few names after the black-haired Marauder looked digrunteled at not knowing any.

**It was a state of nervousness so advanced that he wondered whether he mightn't just lose his head when they tried to lead him out to his dragon, and start trying to curse everyone in sight. Time was behaving in a more peculiar fashion than ever, rushing past in great dollops, so that one moment he seemed to be sitting down in his first lesson, History of Magic, and the next, walking into lunch…and then (where had the morning gone? the last of the dragon-free hours?), Professor McGonagall was hurrying over to him in the Great Hall. Lots of people were watching. **

"**Potter, the champions have to come down onto the grounds now…You have to get ready for your first task." **

"**Okay," said Harry, standing up, his fork falling onto his plate with a clatter. **

"**Good luck, Harry," Hermione whispered. "You'll be fine!" **

Lily glared at Ron, "You should have wished him luck too."

"**Yeah," said Harry in a voice that was most unlike his own. **

**He left the Great Hall with Professor McGonagall. She didn't seem herself either; in fact, she looked nearly as anxious as Hermione. As she walked him down the stone steps and out into the cold November afternoon, she put her hand on his shoulder. **

"**Now, don't panic," she said, "just keep a cool head…We've got wizards standing by to control the situation if it gets out of hand…The main thing is just to do your best, and nobody will think any the worse of you…**

"Yeah." Sirius snorted skeptically.

**Are you all right?" **

"**Yes," Harry heard himself say. "Yes, I'm fine." **

**She was leading him toward the place where the dragons were, around the edge of the forest, but when they approached the clump of trees behind which the enclosure would be clearly visible, Harry saw that a tent had been erected, its entrance facing them, screening the dragons from view. **

"**You're to go in here with the other champions," said Professor McGonagall, in a rather shaky sort of voice,**

"Interesting..." James said, having never saw this side of McGonagal before.

** "and wait for your turn, Potter. Mr. Bagman is in there…he'll be telling you the-the procedure…Good luck." **

"**Thanks," said Harry, in a flat, distant voice. She left him at the entrance of the tent. Harry went inside. **

**Fleur Delacour was sitting in a corner on a low wooden stool. She didn't look nearly as composed as usual, but rather pale and clammy. Viktor Krum looked even surlier than usual, which Harry supposed was his way of showing nerves. Cedric was pacing up and down. When Harry entered, Cedric gave him a small smile, which Harry returned, feeling the muscles in his face working rather hard, as though they had forgotten how to do it. **

"**Harry! Good-o!" said Bagman happily,**

"He really is a nutter." Peter muttered.

** looking around at him. "Come in, come in, make yourself at home!" **

**Bagman looked somehow like a slightly overblown cartoon figure, standing amid all the pale-faced champions. He was wearing his old Wasp robes again. **

"Very professional." Hermione said, rolling her eyes.

"**Well, now we're all here - time to fill you in!" said Bagman brightly. "When the audience has assembled, I'm going to be offering each of you this bag" - he held up a small sack of purple silk and shook it at them - "from which you will each select a small model of the thing you are about to face! There are different-er-varieties, you see. And I have to tell you something else too…ah, yes… your task is to collect the golden egg!" **

"So, they just have to get the egg from the dragon. That won't be _too _hard." Sirius said.

"Says you." Harry muttered, remembering the task.

**Harry glanced around. Cedric had nodded once, to show that he understood Bagman's words, and then started pacing around the tent again; he looked slightly green. Fleur Delacour and Krum hadn't reacted at all. Perhaps they thought they might be sick if they opened their mouths; that was certainly how Harry felt. But they, at least, had volunteered for this… **

**And in no time at all, hundreds upon hundreds of pairs of feet could be heard passing the tent, their owners talking excitedly, laughing, joking…Harry felt as separate from the crowd as though they were a different species. And then – it seemed like about a second later to Harry - Bagman was opening the neck of the purple silk sack. **

James and Sirius leaned in, making bets.

"Bet you he gets the Swedish Snort-snout." James said.

"You're on. I say he's going to get the Horntail, you know because Harry has such wonderful luck." Sirius countered.

"You two have a problem." Lily muttered.

"**Ladies first," he said, offering it to Fleur Delacour. **

**She put a shaking hand inside the bag and drew out a tiny, perfect model of a dragon - a Welsh Green. It had the number two around its neck And Harry knew, by the fact that Fleur showed no sign of surprise, but rather a determined resignation, that he had been right: Madame Maxime had told her what was coming. **

**The same held true for Krum. He pulled out the scarlet Chinese Fireball. It had a number three around its neck. He didn't even blink, just sat back down and stared at the ground. **

**Cedric put his hand into the bag, and out came the blueish-gray Swedish Short-Snout,**

James cursed (Lily shot him a stinging hex) and grudgingly handed Sirius his money.

** the number one tied around its neck. Knowing what was left, Harry put his hand into the silk bag and pulled out the Hungarian Horntail, and the number four. It stretched its wings as he looked down at it, and bared its minuscule fangs. **

"**Well, there you are!" said Bagman. "You have each pulled out the dragon you will face, and the numbers refer to the order in which you are to take on the dragons, do you see? **

"So, Harry's last." Peter said.

**Now, I'm going to have to leave you in a moment, because I'm commentating. Mr. Diggory, you're first, just go out into the enclosure when you hear a whistle, all right? Now…Harry…could I have a quick word? Outside?" **

"**Er…yes," said Harry blankly, and he got up and went out of the tent with Bagman, who walked him a short distance away, into the trees, and then turned to him with a fatherly expression on his face. **

"**Feeling all right, Harry? Anything I can get you?" **

"Favoritism much?" James asked, smiling slightly.

"**What?" said Harry. "I - no, nothing." **

"**Got a plan?" said Bagman, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "Because I don't mind sharing a few pointers, if you'd like them, you know. I mean," Bagman continued, lowering his voice still further, "you're the underdog here, Harry…Anything I can do to help…" **

"**No," said Harry so quickly he knew he had sounded rude, "no - I - I know what I'm going to do, thanks." **

"**Nobody would know, Harry," said Bagman, winking at him. **

"**No, I'm fine," said Harry, wondering why he kept telling people this, and wondering whether he had ever been less fine. "I've got a plan worked out, I -" **

**A whistle had blown somewhere. **

"**Good lord, I've got to run!" said Bagman in alarm, and he hurried off. **

"Thank Merlin." Sirius muttered.

**Harry walked back to the tent and saw Cedric emerging from it, greener than ever. Harry tried to wish him luck as he walked past, but all that came out of his mouth was a sort of hoarse grunt. **

**Harry went back inside to Fleur and Krum. Seconds later, they heard the roar of the crowd, which meant Cedric had entered the enclosure and was now face-to face with the living counterpart of his model. **

**It was worse than Harry could ever have imagined, sitting there and listening. The crowd screamed…yelled…gasped like a single many-headed entity, as Cedric did whatever he was doing to get past the Swedish Short-Snout. Krum was still staring at the ground. Fleur had now taken to retracing Cedric's steps, around and around the tent. And Bagman's commentary made everything much, much worse…Horrible pictures formed in Harry's mind as he heard: "Oooh, narrow miss there, very narrow"…"He's taking risks, this one!"…"Clever move - pity it didn't work!" **

**And then, after about fifteen minutes, Harry heard the deafening roar that could mean only one thing: Cedric had gotten past his dragon and captured the golden egg. **

"**Very good indeed!" Bagman was shouting. "And now the marks from the judges!" **

**But he didn't shout out the marks; Harry supposed the judges were holding them up and showing them to the crowd. **

"**One down, three to go!" Bagman yelled as the whistle blew again. "Miss Delacour, if you please!" **

**Fleur was trembling from head to foot; Harry felt more warmly toward her than he had done so far as she heft the tent with her head held high and her hand clutching her wand. He and Krum were left alone, at opposite sides of the tent, avoiding each other's gaze. **

**The same process started again…"Oh I'm not sure that was wise!" they could hear Bagman shouting gleefully. "Oh…nearly! Careful now…good lord, I thought she'd had it then!" **

"This is horrible." Lily said.

**Ten minutes later, Harry heard the crowd erupt into applause once more…Fleur must have been successful too. A pause, while Fleur's marks were being shown…more clapping…then, for the third time, the whistle. **

"**And here comes Mr. Krum!" cried Bagman, and Krum slouched out, leaving Harry quite alone. **

**He felt much more aware of his body than usual; very aware of the way his heart was pumping fast, and his fingers tingling with fear…yet at the same time, he seemed to be outside himself, seeing the walls of the tent, and hearing the crowd, as though from far away. **

"**Very daring!" Bagman was yelling, and Harry heard the Chinese Fireball emit a horrible, roaring shriek, while the crowd drew its collective breath. "That's some nerve he's showing - and - yes, he's got the egg!" **

**Applause shattered the wintery air like breaking glass; Krum had finished – it would be Harry's turn any moment. **

"Oh no."

**He stood up, noticing dimly that his legs seemed to be made of marshmallow. He waited. And then he heard the whistle blow. He walked out through the entrance of the tent, the panic rising into a crescendo inside him. And now he was walking past the trees, through a gap in the enclosure fence. **

**He saw everything in front of him as though it was a very highly colored dream. **

**There were hundreds and hundreds of faces staring down at him from stands that had been magicked there since he'd last stood on this spot. And there was the Horntail, at the other end of the enclosure, crouched low over her clutch of eggs, her wings half-furled, her evil, yellow eyes upon him, a monstrous, scaly, black lizard, thrashing her spiked tail, heaving yard-long gouge marks in the hard ground. **

The Room of Requirement had fallen silent except for Ron reading aloud.

**The crowd was making a great deal of noise, but whether friendly or not, Harry didn't know or care. It was time to do what he had to do…to focus his mind, entirely and absolutely, upon the thing that was his only chance. **

**He raised his wand. **

"_**Accio Firebolt!**_**" he shouted. **

**Harry waited, every fiber of him hoping, praying…If it hadn't worked…if it wasn't coming…He seemed to be looking at everything around him through some sort of shimmering, transparent barrier, like a heat haze, which made the enclosure and the hundreds of faces around him swim strangely… **

**And then he heard it, speeding through the air behind him; he turned and saw his Firebolt hurtling toward him **

Everyone in the room let out a relieved sigh.

**around the edge of the woods, soaring into the enclosure, and stopping dead in midair beside him, waiting for him to mount. The crowd was making even more noise…Bagman was shouting something…but Harry's ears were not working properly anymore…listening wasn't important… **

**He swung his leg over the broom and kicked off from the ground. And a second later, something miraculous happened… **

**As he soared upward, as the wind rushed through his hair, as the crowd's faces became mere flesh-colored pinpnicks below, and the Horntail shrank to the size of a dog, he realized that he had heft not only the ground behind, but also his fear…**

"Good." James said, "Now it'll be much easier."

**He was back where he belonged… **

**This was just another Quidditch match, that was all…just another Quidditch match, and that Horntail was just another ugly opposing team. **

**He looked down at the clutch of eggs and spotted the gold one, gleaming against its cement-colored fellows, residing safely between the dragon's front legs. **

"**Okay," Harry told himself, "diversionary tactics…let's go…" **

**He dived. The Horntail's head followed him; he knew what it was going to do and pulled out of the dive just in time; a jet of fire had been released exactly where he would have been had he not swerved away…but Harry didn't care…that was no more than dodging a Bludger. **

"**Great Scott, he can fly!" **

"Well, duh." James said.

"Shut up, James." Lily told him before he could say anything about flying ability.

**yelled Bagman as the crowd shrieked and gasped. "Are you watching this, Mr. Krum?" **

**Harry soared higher in a circle; the Horntail was still following his progress; its head revolving on its long neck - if he kept this up, it would be nicely dizzy – but better not push it too long, or it would be breathing fire again – **

**Harry plummeted just as the Horntail opened its mouth, but this time he was less lucky**

Sirius swallowed, hoping Harry hadn't been hurt to bad.

**-he missed the flames, but the tail came whipping up to meet him instead, and as he swerved to the left, one of the long spikes grazed his shoulder, ripping his robes — **

**He could feel it stinging, he could hear screaming and groans from the crowd, but the cut didn't seem to be deep…**

"Good."

**Now he zoomed around the back of the Horntail, and a possibility occurred to him… **

**The Horntail didn't seem to want to take off, she was too protective of her eggs. Though she writhed and twisted, furling and unfurling her wings and keeping those fearsome yellow eyes on Harry, she was afraid to move too far from them…but he had to persuade her to do it, or he'd never get near them…The trick was to do it carefully, gradually… **

**He began to fly, first this way, then the other, not near enough to make her breathe fire to stave him off, but still posing a sufficient threat to ensure she kept her eyes on him. Her head swayed this way and that, watching him out of those vertical pupils, her fangs bared… **

**He flew higher. The Horntail's head rose with him, her neck now stretched to its fullest extent, still swaying, hike a snake before its charmer…Harry rose a few more feet, and she let out a roar of exasperation. He was like a fly to her, a fly she was longing to swat; her tail thrashed again, but he was too high to reach now…She shot fire into the air, which he dodged…Her jaws opened wide… **

"**Come on," Harry hissed, swerving tantalizingly above her, "come on, come and get me…up you get now…" **

**And then she reared, spreading her great, black, leathery wings at last, as wide as those of a small airplane - and Harry dived. Before the dragon knew what he had done, or where he had disappeared to, he was speeding toward the ground as fast as he could go, toward the eggs now unprotected by her clawed front legs**

"Go, go, go." they all urged.

** - he had taken his hands off his Firebolt - he had seized the golden egg – **

The room erupted in shouts of triumpth and everyone jumped up, cheering.

**And with a huge spurt of speed, he was off, he was soaring out over the stands, the heavy egg safely under his uninjured arm, and it was as though somebody had just turned the volume back up - for the first time, he became properly aware of the noise of the crowd, which was screaming and applauding as loudly as the Irish supporters at the World Cup - **

"**Look at that!" Bagman was yelling. "Will you look at that! Our youngest champion is quickest to get his egg! Well, this is going to shorten the odds on Mr. Potter!" **

**Harry saw the dragon keepers rushing forward to subdue the Horntail, and, over at the entrance to the enclosure, Professor McGonagall, Professor Moody, and Hagrid hurrying to meet him, all of them waving him toward them, their smiles evident even from this distance. He flew back over the stands, the noise of the crowd pounding his eardrums, and came in smoothly to land, his heart lighter than it had been in weeks…He had got through the first task, he had survived. **

"**That was excellent, Potter!" cried Professor McGonagall as he got off the Firebolt - which from her was extravagant praise. He noticed that her hand shook as she pointed at his shoulder. "You'll need to see Madam Pomfrey before the judges give out your score…Over there, she's had to mop up Diggory already…" **

"**Yeh did it, Harry!" said Hagrid hoarsely. "Yeh did it! An' agains' the Horntail an' all, an' yeh know Charlie said that was the wors'–" **

"It is."

"**Thanks, Hagrid," said Harry loudly, so that Hagrid wouldn't blunder on and reveal that he had shown Harry the dragons beforehand. **

**Professor Moody looked very pleased too; his magical eye was dancing in its socket. **

"**Nice and easy does the trick, Potter," he growled. **

"**Right then, Potter, the first aid tent, please…" said Professor McGonagall. **

**Harry walked out of the enclosure, still panting, and saw Madam Pomfrey standing at the mouth of a second tent, looking worried. **

"**Dragons!" she said, in a disgusted tone, pulling Harry inside. The tent was divided into cubicles; he could make out Cedric's shadow through the canvas, but Cedric didn't seem to be badly injured; he was sitting up, at least. Madam Pomfrey examined Harry's shoulder, talking furiously all the while. "Last year dementors, this year dragons, what are they going to bring into this school next?**

_There's already a Death Eater at the school_, Harry thought bitterly.

** You're very lucky…this is quite shallow…it'll need cleaning before I heal it up, though…" **

**She cleaned the cut with a dab of some purple liquid that smoked and stung, but then poked his shoulder with her wand, and he felt it heal instantly. "Now, just sit quietly for a minute - sit! And then you can go and get your score." **

**She bustled out of the tent and he heard her go next door and say, "How does it feel now, Diggory?" **

**Harry didn't want to sit still: He was too full of adrenaline. He got to his feet, wanting to see what was going on outside, but before he'd reached the mouth of the tent, two people had come darting inside - Hermione, followed closely by Ron. **

"Excellent." Lily said, glad Harry and Ron were finally over their ridiculous fight.

"**Harry, you were brilliant!" Hermione said squeakily. There were fingernail marks on her face where she had been clutching it in fear. "You were amazing! You really were!" **

**But Harry was looking at Ron, who was very white and staring at Harry as though he were a ghost. **

"**Harry," he said, very seriously, "whoever put your name in that goblet - I – I reckon they're trying to do you in!" **

**It was as though the last few weeks had never happened - as though Harry were meeting Ron for the first time, right after he'd been made champion. **

"**Caught on, have you?" said Harry coldly. **

"Harry." Lily groaned.

**"Took you long enough." **

**Hermione stood nervously between them, looking from one to the other. Ron opened his mouth uncertainly. Harry knew Ron was about to apologize and suddenly he found he didn't need to hear it. **

"**It's okay," he said, before Ron could get the words out. "Forget it." **

"**No," said Ron, "I shouldn't've -" **

"**Forget it, "Harry said. **

**Ron grinned nervously at him, and Harry grinned back **

**Hermione burst into tears. **

"**There's nothing to cry about!" Harry told her, bewildered. **

"**You two are so stupid!"**

Remus and Lily laughed.

** she shouted, stamping her foot on the ground, tears splashing down her front. Then, before either of them could stop her, she had given both of them a hug and dashed away, now positively howling. **

"**Barking mad," said Ron, shaking his head. "Harry, c'mon, they'll be putting up your scores…" **

**Picking up the golden egg and his Firebolt, feeling more elated than he would have believed possible an hour ago, Harry ducked out of the tent, Ron by his side, talking fast. **

"**You were the best, you know, no competition. Cedric did this weird thing where he Transfigured a rock on the ground…turned it into a dog…he was trying to make the dragon go for the dog instead of him. Well, it was a pretty cool bit of Transfiguration, and it sort of worked, because he did get the egg, but he got burned as well - the dragon changed its mind halfway through and decided it would rather have him than the Labrador; he only just got away. And that Fleur girl tried this sort of charm, I think she was trying to put it into a trance - well, that kind of worked too, it went all sleepy, but then it snored, and this great jet of flame shot out, and her skirt caught fire - she put it out with a bit of water out of her wand. And Krum - you won't believe this, but he didn't even think of flying! He was probably the best after you, though. Hit it with some sort of spell right in the eye. Only thing is, it went trampling around in agony and squashed half the real eggs - they took marks off for that, he wasn't supposed to do any damage to them." **

"Ha!" James, Sirius and Ron shouted.

**Ron drew breath as he and Harry reached the edge of the enclosure. Now that the Horntail had been taken away, Harry could see where the five judges were sitting - right at the other end, in raised seats draped in gold. **

"**It's marks out of ten from each one," Ron said, and Harry squinting up the field, saw the first judge - Madame Maxime - raise her wand in the air. What hooked like a long silver ribbon shot out of it, which twisted itself into a large figure eight. **

"**Not bad!" said Ron as the crowd applauded. "I suppose she took marks off for your shoulder…" **

**Mr. Crouch came next. He shot a number nine into the air. **

"**Looking good!" Ron yelled, thumping Harry on the back. **

**Next, Dumbledore. He too put up a nine. The crowd was cheering harder than ever. **

**Ludo Bagman - ten. **

"**Ten?" said Harry in disbelief. "But…I got hurt…What's he playing at?" **

"Don't complain!" Sirius shouted, laughing.

"Even if Bagman _is _barking mad." James added.

"**Harry, don't complain!" Ron yelled excitedly. **

**And now Karkaroff raised his wand. He paused for a moment, and then a number shot out of his wand too - four. **

"Four?!" many people shouted.

Sirius growled and scratched Karkaroff onto his list.

"**What?" Ron bellowed furiously. "Four? You lousy, biased scumbag, you gave Krum ten!" **

**But Harry didn't care, he wouldn't have cared if Karkaroff had given him zero; Ron's indignation on his behalf was worth about a hundred points to him. **

Ron grinned at Harry, who returned it.

**He didn't tell Ron this, of course, but his heart felt lighter than air as he turned to leave the enclosure. And it wasn't just Ron…those weren't only Gryffindors cheering in the crowd. When it had come to it, when they had seen what he was facing, most of the school had been on his side as well as Cedric's…He didn't care about the Slytherins, he could stand whatever they threw at him now. **

"**You're tied in first place, Harry! You and Krum!" said Charlie Weasley, hurrying to meet them as they set off back toward the school. "Listen, I've got to run, I've got to go and send Mum an owl, I swore I'd tell her what happened - but that was unbelievable! Oh yeah - and they told me to tell you you've got to hang around for a few more minutes…Bagman wants a word, back in the champions' tent." **

James and Lily groaned.

**Ron said he would wait, so Harry reentered the tent, which somehow looked quite different now: friendly and welcoming. He thought back to how he'd felt while dodging the Horntail, and compared it to the long wait before he'd walked out to face it…There was no comparison; the wait had been immeasurably worse. Fleur, Cedric, and Krum all came in together. One side of Cedric's face was covered in a thick orange paste, which was presumably mending his burn. He grinned at Harry when he saw him. **

"**Good one, Harry." **

"**And you," said Harry, grinning back. **

"**Well done, all of you!" said Ludo Bagman, bouncing into the tent and looking as pleased as though he personally had just got past a dragon. "Now, just a quick few words. You've got a nice long break before the second task, which will take place at half past nine on the morning of February the twenty-fourth - but we're giving you something to think about in the meantime! If you look down at those golden eggs you're all holding, you will see that they open…see the hinges there? You need to solve the clue inside the egg-because it will tell you what the second task is, and enable you to prepare for it! All clear? Sure? Well, off you go, then!" **

"That can't be as simple as it sounds." Remus said.

**Harry left the tent, rejoined Ron, and they started to walk back around the edge of the forest, talking hard; Harry wanted to hear what the other champions had done in more detail. Then, as they rounded the clump of trees behind which Harry had first heard the dragons roar, a witch leapt out from behind them. **

**It was Rita Skeeter. **

Sirius growled.

**She was wearing acid-green robes today; the Quick-Quotes Quill in her hand blended perfectly against them. **

"**Congratulations, Harry!" she said, beaming at him. "I wonder if you could give me a quick word? **

"Yeah, 'Good bye'." James growled.

**How you felt facing that dragon? How you feel now, about the fairness of the scoring?" **

"**Yeah, you can have a word," said Harry savagely. "Good-bye." **

James shook his head in exasperation.

**And he set off back to the castle with Ron. **

Ron handed the book off to Ginny.

**A/N: I now know why these stories have so many reviews, because it takes FOREVER to write a chapter, which leaves people with plenty of time to review.**

**Speaking of, review please? I worked hard to finish this tonight.  
**


	22. THE HOUSEELF LIBERATION FRONT

**A/N: A few people have said that one reason writing these chapters take so long is because I have to write both the comments **_**and **_**the chapter from the book, that's not actually true. **

**I actually have all the books downloaded onto my computer so all I have to do is copy/paste the chapter. I do still have to read over it and add comments but it doesn't take quite as long as it would for other people.**

**Also, I got **_**so many **_**reviews for the last chapter. Thank you all so much! I was reading them in Business at school (which I probably shouldn't do) and they were making me very happy. :) **

**Now, enjoy the chapter! **

**CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE **

**THE HOUSE-ELF LIBERATION FRONT **

James, Sirius and Ron all groaned.

"Not more of this SPEW nonsense." Sirius muttered.

Hermione and Ginny glared at him and he whimpered.

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione went up to the Owlery that evening to find Pigwidgeon, so that Harry could send Sirius a letter **

"Yay!" Sirius said, happy to know that he would soon be hearing from his future self.

**telling him that he had managed to get past his dragon unscathed. On the way, Harry filled Ron in on everything Sirius had told him about Karkaroff. Though shocked at first to hear that Karkaroff had been a Death Eater, by the time they entered the Owlery Ron was saying that they ought to have suspected it all along. **

"**Fits, doesn't it?" he said. "Remember what Malfoy said on the train, about his dad being friends with Karkaroff? Now we know where they knew each other. They were probably running around in masks together at the World Cup…I'll tell you one thing, though, Harry, if it was Karkaroff who put your name in the goblet, he's going to be feeling really stupid now, isn't he? Didn't work, did it? You only got a scratch! Come here-I'll do it-"**

"What?!" James exclaimed, giving Ron a look. He was thinking of the phrase 'you only got a scratch' and 'Come here-I'll do it'

Ginny laughed slightly and held up a hand to silence him so she could read on.

**Pigwidgeon was so overexcited at the idea of a delivery he was flying around and around Harry's head, hooting incessantly. Ron snatched Pigwidgeon out of the air and held him still while Harry attached the letter to his leg. **

"Oh." James sighed.

"**There's no way any of the other tasks are going to be that dangerous, how could they be?" Ron went on as he carried Pigwidgeon to the window. "You know what? I reckon you could win this tournament, Harry, I'm serious." **

Remus, Lily, Peter and James all glared at Sirius in warning.

"Gosh." He muttered.

**Harry knew that Ron was only saying this to make up for his behavior of the last few weeks, but he appreciated it all the same. Hermione, however, leaned against the Owlery wall, folded her arms, and frowned at Ron. **

"**Harry's got a long way to go before he finishes this tournament," she said seriously. "If that was the first task, I hate to think what's coming next." **

"She sure is awfully cheery, isn't she?" Sirius mumbled.

"**Right little ray of sunshine, aren't you?" said Ron.**

Sirius made an odd noise.

** "You and Professor Trelawney should get together sometime." **

James, Sirius, Harry and Ron all laughed.

**He threw Pigwidgeon out of the window. Pigwidgeon plummeted twelve feet before managing to pull himself back up again; the letter attached to his leg was much longer and heavier than usual - Harry hadn't been able to resist giving Sirius a blow-by-blow account of exactly how he had swerved, circled, and dodged the Horntail. **

Lily rolled her eyes and glared at James.

"What?" He asked.

"Well, he clearly didn't get that trait from me." Lily replied.

"I don't know, Lily." Sirius said, raising his hands in defense as she began to retort, "It's just, I doubt Prongs would write that much."

James glared at him as the others laughed.

**They watched Pigwidgeon disappear into the darkness, and then Ron said, "Well, we'd better get downstairs for your surprise party, Harry**

"Not much of a surprise anymore, now. Is it?" Sirius said.

**-Fred and George should have nicked enough food from the kitchens by now." **

The Marauders exchanged a glance at remembering all the times they had done this.

"You four stole food from the house elves?" Lily asked sternly.

Sirius rolled his eyes and sighed, (earning a glare and stinging hex from Lily) as James explained, "It's different, the House-Elves are more than enthusiastic about giving the food away."

Sirius nodded, "The practically swarm up to you, all offering food."

Lily still gave them all a disapproving glare as Ginny hurried to read before they could interrupt.

**Sure enough, when they entered the Gryffindor common room it exploded with cheers and yells again. There were mountains of cakes and flagons of pumpkin juice and butterbeer on every surface; Lee Jordan had let off some Filibuster's Fireworks, **

"Those have nothing on Fred and George's." Harry whispered to Ron, before he realized what he was saying. He felt a pang of grief as he remembered Fred; Judging by Ron's wince he did too.

**so that the air was thick with stars and sparks; and Dean Thomas, who was very good at drawing, had put up some impressive new banners, most of which depicted Harry zooming around the Horntail's head on his Firebolt, though a couple showed Cedric with his head on fire. **

James and Seth snickered

**Harry helped himself to food; he had almost forgotten what it was like to feel properly hungry, and sat down with Ron and Hermione. He couldn't believe how happy he felt; he had Ron back on his side, he'd gotten through the first task, and he wouldn't have to face the second one for three months. **

"Which will probably be here before you know it." Sirius said glumly.

"**Blimey, this is heavy," said Lee Jordan, picking up the golden egg, which Harry had left on a table, and weighing it in his hands. "Open it, Harry, go on! Let's just see what's inside it!" **

"Shouldn't do that." Harry mumbled.

"Why not?"

"You'll see."

"**He's supposed to work out the clue on his own," Hermione said swiftly. "It's in the tournament rules…" **

"**I was supposed to work out how to get past the dragon on my own too," Harry muttered, so only Hermione could hear him, and she grinned rather guiltily. **

"**Yeah, go on, Harry, open it!" several people echoed. **

**Lee passed Harry the egg, and Harry dug his fingernails into the groove that ran all the way around it and prised it open. **

**It was hollow and completely empty - but the moment Harry opened it, the most horrible noise, a loud and screechy wailing, filled the room.**

"Yikes."

** The nearest thing to it Harry had ever heard was the ghost orchestra at Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party, who had all been playing the musical saw. **

A few of them gave Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny pitying looks.

"**Shut it!" Fred bellowed,**

Everyone from the past winced, Fred's death still fresh to all of them.

Lily and Remus, who had noticed, glanced curiously at them.

**his hands over his ears. **

"**What was that?" said Seamus Finnigan, staring at the egg as Harry slammed it shut again. "Sounded like a banshee…Maybe you've got to get past one of those next, Harry!" **

"**It was someone being tortured!" said Neville, who had gone very white and spilled sausage rolls all over the floor. "You're going to have to fight the Cruciatus Curse!" **

"They wouldn't do that, it's illegal." Sirius said.

Remus nodded in agreement, "And Crouch is all about rules.

"**Don't be a prat, Neville, that's illegal," said George. "They wouldn't use the Cruciatus Curse on the champions. I thought it sounded a bit like Percy singing…**

James and Sirius started laughing and Ginny held up a hand to silence them, "There's more."

**maybe you've got to attack him while he's in the shower. Harry." **

James and Sirius continued to laugh and the others joined.

"**Want a jam tart, Hermione?" said Fred. **

Remus glanced at the book suspiciously, "If those to are anything like these two"-he gestured to James and Sirius-"She better not take anything."

**Hermione looked doubtfully at the plate he was offering her. Fred grinned. **

"**It's all right," he said. "I haven't done anything to them. It's the custard creams you've got to watch -" **

"Wonder what they did to them..." James said as Sirius dug around for his list, quill in hand and prepared to write.

**Neville, who had just bitten into a custard cream, choked and spat it out. Fred laughed. **

"**Just my little joke, Neville…" **

James and Sirius let out a disappointed sigh.

**Hermione took a jam tart. Then she said, "Did you get all this from the kitchens, Fred?" **

"**Yep," said Fred, grinning at her. He put on a high-pitched squeak and imitated a house-elf. "'Anything we can get you, sir, anything at all!' They're dead helpful…get me a roast ox if I said I was peckish." **

"See Lily?" Sirius said.

Lily glared at him and he huffed, "When we finish this chapter, Prongs and I are taking you to the kitchens!"

"**How do you get in there?" Hermione said in an innocently casual sort of voice. **

"Tickle the pear." The four Marauders said in usion.

Lily looked a little surprised at the perfect timing, "It's like you rehearsed it."

"**Easy," said Fred, "concealed door behind a painting of a bowl of fruit. Just tickle the pear, and it giggles and -" He stopped and looked suspiciously at her. "Why?" **

"**Nothing," said Hermione quickly. **

"**Going to try and lead the house-elves out on strike now, are you?" said George. "Going to give up all the leaflet stuff and try and stir them up into rebellion?" **

**Several people chortled. Hermione didn't answer. **

"**Don't you go upsetting them and telling them they've got to take clothes and salaries!" said Fred warningly. "You'll put them off their cooking!" **

"And that's a major problem!" James said, rolling his eyes.

"It is!" Sirius agreed, not realizing James was being sarcastic.

"Well of course it is for Sirius, the dog with the bottom-less stomach."

Sirius looked at him for a moment before wishing the couch James was sharing with Lily to get shorter.

The room responded and James fell to the floor as the couch slid out from under him.

James huffed and wished it back to normal.

**Just then, Neville caused a slight diversion by turning into a large canary. **

"It was the custard creams!" James said.

"Didn't you get one of those from Fred and George?" Ron asked.

James nodded, remembering tricking Sirius into turning into a bird.

Sirius growled quietly, leaning back in his chair so that it was balancing on two legs.

"**Oh-sorry, Neville!" Fred shouted over all the laughter. "I forgot - it was the custard creams we hexed -" **

**Within a minute, however, Neville had molted, and once his feathers had fallen off, he reappeared looking entirely normal. He even joined in laughing. **

"**Canary Creams!" Fred shouted to the excitable crowd. "George and I invented them-seven Sickles each, a bargain!" **

**It was nearly one in the morning when Harry finally went up to the dormitory with Ron, Neville, Seamus, and Dean. Before he pulled the curtains of his four-poster shut. Harry set his tiny model of the Hungarian Horntail on the table next to his bed, where it yawned, curled up, and closed its eyes.**

Sirius grinned and said, "Aw..." just to annoy James.

It worked, James glared at him, "The life-size version could've _killed _Harry."

"Yeah, but you gotta admit the little one is cute."

James threw a few stress balls at him at once. Sirius yelled out in surprise as he lost balance and toppled backwards out of his chair.

After everyone had calmed down from the laughing fit this caused, Ginny began reading

** Really, Harry thought, as he pulled the hangings on his four-poster closed, Hagrid had a point…they were all right, **

Sirius let out a, "HA!" of triumph and James glared at Harry, who smiled sheepishly.

**really, dragons… **

**The start of December brought wind and sleet to Hogwarts. Drafty though the castle always was in winter. Harry was glad of its fires and thick walls every time he passed the Durmstrang ship on the lake, which was pitching in the high winds, its black sails billowing against the dark skies. He thought the Beauxbatons caravan was likely to be pretty chilly too. Hagrid, he noticed, was keeping Madame Maxime's horses well provided with their preferred drink of single-malt whiskey; the fumes wafting from the trough in the comer of their paddock was enough to make the entire Care of Magical Creatures class light-headed. This was unhelpful, as they were still tending the horrible skrewts **

"Oh no, can't they all just...die?" Sirius said rather harshly.

**and needed their wits about them.**

"**I'm not sure whether they hibernate or not,"**

"Probably not, you couldn't have that luck." James told the trio and Ginny.

** Hagrid told the shivering class in the windy pumpkin patch next lesson. "Thought we'd jus' try an see if they fancied a kip…we'll jus' settle 'em down in these boxes…" **

**There were now only ten skrewts left;**

"That's not _to _bad."

** apparently their desire to kill one another had not been exercised out of them. Each of them was now approaching six feet in length. Their thick gray armor; their powerful, scuttling legs; their fire-blasting ends; their stings and their suckers, combined to make the skrewts the most repulsive things Harry had ever seen.**

"No Padfoot, it's worse." James muttered.

** The class looked dispiritedly at the enormous boxes Hagrid had brought out, all lined with pillows and fluffy blankets. **

"**We'll jus' lead 'em in here," Hagrid said, "an' put the lids on, and we'll see what happens." **

**But the skrewts, it transpired, did not hibernate, and did not appreciate being forced into pillow-lined boxes and nailed in. Hagrid was soon yelling, "Don panic, now, don' panic!" while the skrewts rampaged around the pumpkin patch, now strewn with the smoldering wreckage of the boxes. Most of the class - Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle in the lead - had fled into Hagrid's cabin **

"Well, of course Malfoy and his goons are in the lead." Ginny said.

**through the back door and barricaded themselves in; Harry, Ron, and Hermione, however, were among those who remained outside trying to help Hagrid. Together they managed to restrain and tie up nine of the skrewts, though at the cost of numerous burns and cuts; finally, only one skrewt was left. **

"**Don' frighten him, now!"**

"Don't frighten him?!" James repeated, surprised.

**Hagrid shouted as Ron and Harry used their wands to shoot jets of fiery sparks at the skrewt, which was advancing menacingly on them, its sting arched, quivering, over its back. "Jus' try an slip the rope 'round his sting, so he won hurt any o' the others!" **

"**Yeah, we wouldn't want that!" **

"Of course not." Remus said, rolling his eyes.

**Ron shouted angrily as he and Harry backed into the wall of Hagrid's cabin, still holding the skrewt off with their sparks. **

"**Well, well, well…this does look like fun." **

**Rita Skeeter **

Sirius growled and the others all glared at the book.

**was leaning on Hagrid's garden fence, looking in at the mayhem. She was wearing a thick magenta cloak with a furry purple collar today, and her crocodile-skin handbag was over her arm. **

**Hagrid launched himself forward on top of the skrewt that was cornering Harry and Ron and flattened it; a blast of fire shot out of its end, withering the pumpkin plants nearby. **

"**Who're you?" **

"You don't want to associate with her, Hagrid." Sirius said.

**Hagrid asked Rita Skeeter as he slipped a loop of rope around the skrewt's sting and tightened it. **

"**Rita Skeeter, **_**Daily Prophet **_**reporter,"**

"_Daily Prophet _reputation ruiner, more like it." James mumbled.

"Not a word, Prongs." Remus said.

"Reputation is to a word!"

"Not reputation, you idiot! Ruiner!" Remus said, rolling his eyes.

The others all laughed as James glared at the werewolf.

** Rita replied, beaming at him. Her gold teeth glinted. **

"Ew..." Sirius said.

"**Thought Dumbledore said you weren' allowed inside the school anymore," **

Seth snickered, as well as Sirius, James, Ron and Harry.

**said Hagrid, frowning slightly as he got off the slightly squashed skrewt and started tugging it over to its fellows. **

**Rita acted as though she hadn't heard what Hagrid had said. **

"**What are these fascinating creatures called?" **

"Don't talk to her, Hagrid. She'll only twist everything you say!"

**she asked, beaming still more widely. **

"**Blast-Ended Skrewts," grunted Hagrid. **

"**Really?" said Rita, apparently full of lively interest. "I've never heard of them before…where do they come from?" **

**Harry noticed a dull red flush rising up out of Hagrid's wild black beard, and his heart sank. Where had Hagrid got the skrewts from?**

"Probably created them himself." Remus said.

"Which won't go over to well with Skeeter."

** Hermione, who seemed to be thinking along these lines, said quickly, "They're very interesting, aren't they? Aren't they. Harry?" **

"**What? Oh yeah…ouch…**

"Ouch?" Peter questioned.

**interesting," said Harry as she stepped on his foot. **

"Oh."

"**Ah, you're here. Harry!" said Rita Skeeter as she looked around. "So you like Care of Magical Creatures, do you? One of your favorite lessons?"**

"Oh yeah," James said sarcastically, "he just loves spending time with the skrewts!"

"**Yes," said Harry stoutly. Hagrid beamed at him. **

"**Lovely," said Rita. "Really lovely. Been teaching long?" she added to Hagrid. Harry noticed her eyes travel over Dean (who had a nasty cut across one cheek). Lavender (whose robes were badly singed), Seamus (who was nursing several burnt fingers), and then to the cabin windows, where most of the class stood, their noses pressed against the glass waiting to see if the coast was clear. **

"**This is o'ny me second year," said Hagrid. **

"**Lovely…I don't suppose you'd like to give an interview, would you? **

"Hell no!" Sirius shouted.

Lily, who was finding the stinging hex a bit boring by now, turned Sirius' long black hair green and silver. He also had a snake on his cheek.

Seth hissed his disapproval at this as Sirius yelped in surprise.

"Lily!" Sirius howled, "My hair!"

Lily just gave him a look and motioned for Ginny to read.

**Share some of your experience of magical creatures? The **_**Prophet **_**does a zoological column every Wednesday, as I'm sure you know. We could feature these - er - Bang- Ended Scoots." **

"**Blast-Ended Skrewts," Hagrid said eagerly. "Er - yeah, why not?" **

"No!"

**Harry had a very bad feeling about this,**

"He's not the only one." James mumbled.

** but there was no way of communicating it to Hagrid without Rita Skeeter seeing, so he had to stand and watch in silence as Hagrid and Rita Skeeter made arrangements to meet in the Three Broomsticks for a good long interview later that week. Then the bell rang up at the castle, signaling the end of the lesson. **

"**Well, good-bye, Harry!" Rita Skeeter called merrily to him as he set off with Ron and Hermione. "Until Friday night, then, Hagrid!" **

"**She'll twist everything he says," Harry said under his breath. **

"Exactly." Lily said.

"**Just as long as he didn't import those skrewts illegally or anything," said Hermione desperately. They looked at one another - it was exactly the sort of thing Hagrid might do. **

"**Hagrids been in loads of trouble before, and Dumbledores never sacked him," said Ron consolingly. "Worst that can happen is Hagrid'll have to get rid of the skrewts. **

"That would be the worst?" Sirius questioned, looking ridiculous with his hair silver and green.

"For Hagrid." Remus added.

**Sorry…did I say worst? I meant best." **

**Harry and Hermione laughed, and, feeling slightly more cheerful, went off to lunch. **

**Harry thoroughly enjoyed double Divination that afternoon;**

"What?!" James exclaimed, shocked.

"Wait a minute." Harry said, laughing.

** they were still doing star charts and predictions, but now that he and Ron were friends once more, the whole thing seemed very funny again. **

"Oh."

**Professor Trelawney, who had been so pleased with the pair of them when they had been predicting their own horrific deaths, quickly became irritated as they sniggered through her explanation of the various ways in which Pluto could disrupt everyday life. **

"**I would think," she said, in a mystical whisper that did not conceal her obvious annoyance, "that some of us" - she stared very meaningfully at Harry- **

Nearly everyone groaned.

**"might be a little less frivolous had they seen what I have seen during my crystal gazing last night. As I sat here, absorbed in my needlework, the urge to consult the orb overpowered me. I arose, I settled myself before it, and I gazed into its crystalline depths…and what do you think I saw gazing back at me?" **

"An ugly old bat in over-sized bug-eyed glasses?" Sirius suggested.

"**An ugly old bat in outsize specs?" Ron muttered under his breath. **

"That was nearly word for word." James said in awe as Sirius let out a frustrated noise.

**Harry fought hard to keep his face straight. **

"**Death, my dears." **

**Parvati and Lavender both put their hands over their mouths, looking horrified. **

"They can't be believing all this?" Remus said incredulously.

"Sadly, yes." Hermione said in annoyance.

"**Yes," said Professor Trelawney, nodding impressively, "it comes, ever closer, it circles overhead like a vulture, ever lower…ever lower over the castle…" She stared pointedly at Harry, who yawned very widely and obviously. **

James and Sirius laughed.

"**It'd be a bit more impressive if she hadn't done it about eighty times before," Harry said as they finally regained the fresh air of the staircase beneath Professor Trelawney's room. "But if I'd dropped dead every time she's told me I'm going to, I'd be a medical miracle." **

"**You'd be a sort of extra-concentrated ghost," said Ron, chortling, as they passed the Bloody Baron going in the opposite direction, his wide eyes staring sinisterly. **

"**At least we didn't get homework. I hope Hermione got loads off Professor Vector,**

"That's nice..." Sirius said sarcastically.

** I love not working when she is…" **

James and Sirius exchanged a glance and looked at Remus, who rolled his eyes.

**But Hermione wasn't at dinner, nor was she in the library when they went to look for her afterward. The only person in there was Viktor Krum. **

Ron made a face.

**Ron hovered behind the bookshelves for a** **while, watching Krum, debating in whispers with Harry whether he should ask for an autograph-but then Ron realized that six or seven girls were lurking in the next row of books, debating exactly the same thing, and he lost his enthusiasm for the idea.**

Sirius and James snickered.

"**Wonder where she's got to?" Ron said as he and Harry went back to Gryffindor Tower. **

"**Dunno…balderdash." **

**But the Fat Lady had barely begun to swing forward when the sound of racing feet behind them announced Hermione's arrival. **

"**Harry!" she panted, skidding to a halt beside him (the Fat Lady stared down at her, eyebrows raised.) "Harry, you've got to come - you've got to come, the most amazing thing's happened - please -" **

"What's going on?" Sirius asked.

"If you'll shut up, you'll know." Ginny snapped.

Sirius looked taken aback but followed her instructions and kept his comments to himself.

**She seized Harry's arm and started to try to drag him back along the corridor. **

"**What's the matter?" Harry said. **

"**I'll show you when we get there-oh come on, quick -" **

Remus, remembering the chapter title, said, "She's probably taking them to the kitchens."

James and Sirius exchanged glances and leaned forward to place bets.

"You three have a problem." Lily stated.

Remus shrugged, "I'm usually right anyway, might as well get paid for it."

James and Sirius glared at him.

**Harry looked around at Ron; he looked back at Harry, intrigued. **

"**Okay," Harry said, starting off back down the corridor with Hermione, Ron hurrying to keep up. **

"**Oh don't mind me!" the Fat Lady called irritably after them. "Don't apologize for bothering me! I'll just hang here, wide open, until you get back, shall I?" **

"That'd be great, thanks!" Sirius said.

"**Yeah, thanks!" Ron shouted over his shoulder. **

"This is getting really annoying." Sirius said dryly.

"**Hermione, where are we going?" Harry asked, after she had led them down through six floors, and started down the marble staircase into the entrance hall. **

James and Sirius exchanged a worried glance, that was on the way to the kitchen.

"**You'll see, you'll see in a minute!" said Hermione excitedly. **

**She turned left at the bottom of the staircase and hurried toward the door through which Cedric Diggory had gone the night after the Goblet of Fire had regurgitated his and Harry's names. Harry had never been through here before. He and Ron followed Hermione down a flight of stone steps, but instead of ending up in a gloomy underground passage like the one that led to Snape's dungeon, they found themselves in a broad stone corridor, brightly lit with torches, and decorated with cheerful paintings that were mainly of food. **

Sirius and James were now glancing from the book to Remus, extremely worried.

"**Oh hang on…" said Harry slowly, halfway down the corridor. "Wait a minute, Hermione…" **

"**What?" She turned around to look at him, anticipation all over her face. **

"**I know what this is about," said Harry. **

**He nudged Ron and pointed to the painting just behind Hermione. It showed a gigantic silver fruit bowl. **

"Damnit, Moony!" James shouted as Sirius sighed miserably, leaning back in his chair and shoving his hand in his pocket for money.

Lily glared at James and sent a few spells his way which made his hair and face mirror Sirius' and also painted one side of his face silver, the other green.

Sirius snickered and Lily painted his face too.

"Is losing my money not enough?" Sirius whined, wishing up a mirror to examine his face.

Remus held out his hand for his money and Sirius and James reluctantly gave it to him.

Remus had a smug expression on his face as Ginny started reading again.

"**Hermione!" said Ron, cottoning on. "You're trying to rope us into that spew stuff again!" **

"**No, no, I'm not!" she said hastily. "And it's not spew, Ron -" **

"It's S-P-E-W." Hermione corrected with irritation.

Sirius, James and Ron all forced themselves not to comment on this since Ginny and Lily were sending them warning glares.

"**Changed the name, have you?" said Ron, frowning at her. "What are we now, then, the House-Elf Liberation Front? I'm not barging into that kitchen and trying to make them stop work, I'm not doing it-" **

"It wouldn't work anyway." Peter said.

"**I'm not asking you to!" Hermione said impatiently. "I came down here just now, to talk to them all, and I found-oh come on, Harry, I want to show you!" **

"But not Ron?" Lily asked.

"Well, he isn't exactly being supportive." Remus pointed out.

"Neither is Harry."

"But he isn't protesting as strongly."

Sirius snorted and usually would have voiced his thoughts but right now he was to busy brooding over his hair and money-loss.

**She seized his arm again, pulled him in front of the picture of the giant fruit bowl, stretched out her forefinger, and tickled the huge green pear. It began to squirm, chuckling, and suddenly turned into a large green door handle. Hermione seized it, pulled the door open, and pushed Harry hard in the back, forcing him inside. **

Harry rubbed his back in remembrance, "You know, there really wasn't a need for you to be so..._forceful_."

Hermione shrugged, "I might have been a bit too over enthusiastic."

**He had one brief glimpse of an enormous, high-ceilinged room, large as the Great Hall above it, with mounds of glittering brass pots and pans heaped around the stone walls, and a great brick fireplace at the other end, when something small hurtled toward him from the middle of the room, squealing, "Harry Potter, sir! Harry Potter!" **

**Next second all the wind had been knocked out of him as the squealing elf hit him hard in the midriff, hugging him so tightly he thought his ribs would break. **

"**D-Dobby?" Harry gasped. **

"That's the House-Elf from you second year, right?"James asked.

Harry nodded.

Sirius sighed, wanting to comment but still giving Lily the silent treatment (which suited her perfectly fine).

"**It is Dobby, sir, it is!" squealed the voice from somewhere around his navel. "Dobby has been hoping and hoping to see Harry Potter, sir, and Harry Potter has come to see him, sir!" **

**Dobby let go and stepped back a few paces, beaming up at Harry, his enormous, green, tennis-ball-shaped eyes brimming with tears of happiness. He looked almost exactly as Harry remembered him; the pencil-shaped nose, the batlike ears, the long fingers and feet-all except the clothes, which were very different. When Dobby had worked for the Malfoys, he had always worn the same filthy old pillowcase. **

Lily looked disapproving and sent pointed glares at James and Sirius.

"What?" James asked, squirming under her glare, "We don't treat our House-Elves like that."

"House-_Elves_?"

"Well, yeah, we have more than one."

Lily remained silent, glaring at him.

"We have a big house!" He squeaked.

She decided to let him slide, for now, and turned to Sirius.

He sighed, "What can I say? All our House-Elves are nutters whose life ambition is to have their heads cut off and stuck on a wall."

Lily looked shocked.

Sirius shrugged, "Black House-Elf family tradition."

James looked thoughtful, "You should come to Potter Manor sometime and see the House-Elves. Maybe when we get done reading or something."

Lily nodded in agreement and Ginny started reading once more.

**Now, however, he was wearing the strangest assortment of garments Harry had ever seen; he had done an even worse job of dressing himself than the wizards at the World Cup. He was wearing a tea cozy for a hat, on which he had pinned a number of bright badges; a tie patterned with horseshoes over a bare chest, a pair of what looked like children's soccer shorts, and odd socks. One of these, Harry saw, was the black one Harry had removed from his own foot and tricked Mr. Malfoy into giving Dobby, thereby setting Dobby free. The other was covered in pink and orange stripes. **

"**Dobby, what're you doing here?" Harry said in amazement. **

"**Dobby has come to work at Hogwarts, sir!" Dobby squealed excitedly. "Professor Dumbledore gave Dobby and Winky jobs, sir! **

"Winky's there too?" Peter said, surprised.

"I guess she didn't have anywhere else to go." Lily answered.

"**Winky?" said Harry. "She's here too?" **

"**Yes, sir, yes!" said Dobby, and he seized Harry's hand and pulled him off into the kitchen between the four long wooden tables that stood there. Each of these tables, Harry noticed as he passed them, was positioned exactly beneath the four House tables above, in the Great Hall. At the moment, they were clear of food, dinner having finished, but he supposed that an hour ago they had been laden with dishes that were then sent up through the ceiling to their counterparts above. **

**At least a hundred little elves were standing around the kitchen, beaming, bowing, and curtsying as Dobby led Harry past them. **

"You see Lily?" James said gently, as not to sound smug, "They love it when people visit, especially when you ask for food!"

Sirius whimpered at the mention of food and a few of the others gave him a started look.

"I had almost forgot you were even there, mate." James said.

Sirius frowned, putting a look of mock-hurt and disbelief on his face, "How could you forget me, Prongs?"

James shrugged, "You were being uncharacteristically quiet."

"Yeah, why _were_ you so quiet?" Lily asked.

"I was attempting to give you the silent treatment but it just resulted in you ignoring me." He said grumpily.

Lily laughed, "I should make you mad at me more often!"

**They were all wearing the same uniform: a tea towel stamped with the Hogwarts crest, and tied, as Winky's had been, like a toga. **

**Dobby stopped in front of the brick fireplace and pointed. **

"**Winky, sir!" he said. **

**Winky was sitting on a stool by the fire. Unlike Dobby, she had obviously not foraged for clothes. She was wearing a neat little skirt and blouse with a matching blue hat, which had holes in it for her large ears. However, while every one of Dobby's strange collection of garments was so clean and well cared for that it looked brand-new, Winky was plainly not taking care other clothes at all. There were soup stains all down her blouse and a burn in her skirt. **

"**Hello, Winky," said Harry. **

**Winky's lip quivered. Then she burst into tears, which spilled out of her great brown eyes and splashed down her front, just as they had done at the Quidditch World Cup. **

"**Oh dear," said Hermione. She and Ron had followed Harry and Dobby to the end of the kitchen. "Winky, don't cry, please don't…" **

**But Winky cried harder than ever. Dobby, on the other hand, beamed up at Harry. **

"Okay..."

"**Would Harry Potter like a cup of tea?" he squeaked loudly, over Winky's sobs. **

"Dobby sure is...odd." Remus muttered.

"**Er-yeah, okay," said Harry. **

**Instantly, about six house-elves came trotting up behind him, bearing a large silver tray laden with a teapot, cups for Harry, Ron, and Hermione, a milk jug, and a large plate of biscuits. **

"**Good service!" Ron said, in an impressed voice. **

Lily frowned at the book and at Ron.

**Hermione frowned at him, but the elves all looked delighted;**

"See Lily?" Sirius said.

** they bowed very low and retreated. **

"**How long have you been here, Dobby?" Harry asked as Dobby handed around the tea. **

"**Only a week, Harry Potter, sir!" said Dobby happily. "Dobby came to see Professor Dumbledore, sir. You see, sir, it is very difficult for a house-elf who has been dismissed to get a new position, sir, very difficult indee -" **

**At this, Winky howled even harder,**

"Poor thing." Lily said gently, causing James, Sirius, Ron and Seth to roll their eyes (though discreetly).

** her squashed-tomato of a nose dribbling all down her front, though she made no effort to stem the flow. **

"**Dobby has traveled the country for two whole years, sir, trying to find work!" Dobby squeaked. "But Dobby hasn't found work, sir, because Dobby wants paying now!" **

**The house-elves all around the kitchen, who had been listening and watching with interest, all looked away at these words, as though Dobby had said something rude and embarrassing. **

"You see, they think asking for pay is disgraceful!"

"Just because it's something they aren't used to!" Lily countered.

Ginny quickly continued reading before the argument could escalate.

**Hermione, however, said, "Good for you, Dobby!" **

"**Thank you, miss!" said Dobby, grinning toothily at her. "But most wizards doesn't want a house-elf who wants paying, miss. 'That's not the point of a house-elf,' they says, and they slammed the door in Dobby's face! Dobby likes work, but he wants to wear clothes and he wants to be paid. Harry Potter…Dobby likes being free!" **

**The Hogwarts house-elves had now started edging away from Dobby, as though he were carrying something contagious. Winky, however, remained where she was, though there was a definite increase in the volume of her crying. **

"**And then, Harry Potter, Dobby goes to visit Winky, and finds out Winky has been freed too, sir!" said Dobby delightedly. **

**At this, Winky flung herself forward off her stool and lay face-down on the flagged stone floor, beating her tiny fists upon it and positively screaming with misery. Hermione hastily dropped down to her knees beside her and tried to comfort her, but nothing she said made the slightest difference. Dobby continued with his story, shouting shrilly over Winky's screeches. **

"**And then Dobby had the idea. Harry Potter, sir! 'Why doesn't Dobby and Winky find work together?' Dobby says. 'Where is there enough work for two house elves?' says Winky. And Dobby thinks, and it comes to **

**him, sir! Hogwarts! So Dobby and Winky came to see Professor Dumbledore, sir, and Professor Dumbledore took us on!" **

"Naturally." Lily said, thinking of Dumbledore.

**Dobby beamed very brightly, and happy tears welled in his eyes again. **

"**And Professor Dumbledore says he will pay Dobby, sir, if Dobby wants paying! And so Dobby is a free elf, sir, and Dobby gets a Galleon a week and one day off a month!" **

"**That's not very much!" Hermione shouted indignantly from the floor,**

"Dobby probably asked not to be payed too much." James said.

"Why?" Lily asked.

"Well, for one thing, Dumbledore would offer him more than that so he _must _have turned him down and Dobby _is _still a House-Elf and he probably isn't used to _that much_ freedom yet." James explained.

** over Winky's continued screaming and fist-beating. **

"**Professor Dumbledore offered Dobby ten Galleons a week, and weekends off," said Dobby, suddenly giving a little shiver, as though the prospect of so much leisure and riches were frightening, "but Dobby beat him down, miss…**

"You see?" James said.

** Dobby likes freedom, miss, but he isn't wanting too much, miss, he likes work better." **

"**And how much is Professor Dumbledore paying you, Winky?"**

"None, most likely. She probably doesn't want to be paid." Sirius said reasonably.

** Hermione asked kindly. **

**If she had thought this would cheer up Winky, she was wildly mistaken. Winky did stop crying, but when she sat up she was glaring at Hermione through her massive brown eyes, her whole face sopping wet and suddenly furious. **

"**Winky is a disgraced elf, but Winky is not yet getting paid!" she squeaked. "Winky is not sunk so low as that! Winky is properly ashamed of being freed!" **

"**Ashamed?" said Hermione blankly. "But-Winky, come on! It's Mr. Crouch who should be ashamed, not you! You didn't do anything wrong, he was really horrible to you-" **

**But at these words, Winky clapped her hands over the holes in her hat, flattening her ears so that she couldn't hear a word, and screeched, "You is not insulting my master, miss! You is not insulting Mr. Crouch! Mr. Crouch is a good wizard, miss! Mr. Crouch is right to sack bad Winky!" **

Lily looked stunned and Sirius muttered, "House-Elves have far to much honor."

"**Winky is having trouble adjusting, Harry Potter," squeaked Dobby confidentially. "Winky forgets she is not bound to Mr. Crouch anymore; she is allowed to speak her mind now, but she won't do it." **

"**Can't house-elves speak their minds about their masters, then?" Harry asked. **

"**Oh no, sir, no," said Dobby, looking suddenly serious. "'Tis part of the house-elf's enslavement, sir. We keeps their secrets and our silence, sir. We upholds the family's honor, and we never speaks ill of them - though Professor Dumbledore told Dobby he does not insist upon this. Professor Dumbledore said we is free to-to-" **

**Dobby looked suddenly nervous and beckoned Harry closer. Harry bent forward. **

**Dobby whispered, "He said we is free to call him a-a barmy old codger if we likes, sir!" **

**Dobby gave a frightened sort of giggle. **

Lily shook her head in astonishment, "Are they always like this?"

James thought for a moment, "Yeah, pretty much."

"**But Dobby is not wanting to, Harry Potter," he said, talking normally again, and shaking his head so that his ears flapped. "Dobby likes Professor Dumbledore very much, sir, and is proud to keep his secrets and our silence for him." **

"**But you can say what you like about the Malfoys now?" Harry asked him, grinning. **

**A slightly fearful look came into Dobby's immense eyes. **

"**Dobby-Dobby could," he said doubtfully. He squared his small shoulders. "Dobby could tell Harry Potter that his old masters were-were-bad Dark wizards'."**

Sirius had a brief though of Kreacher, pretty much the same situation except Kreacher wasn't free.

**Dobby stood for a moment, quivering all over, horror-struck by his own daring - then he rushed over to the nearest table and began banging his head on it very hard, squealing, "Bad Dobby! Bad Dobby!" **

Lily looked startled.

**Harry seized Dobby by the back of his tie and pulled him away from the table. **

"**Thank you. Harry Potter, thank you," said Dobby breathlessly, rubbing his head. **

"**You just need a bit of practice," Harry said. **

"**Practice!" squealed Winky furiously. "You is ought to be ashamed of yourself, Dobby, talking that way about your masters!" **

"They aren't his masters anymore!" Lily said, slightly frustrated.

"**They isn't my masters anymore, Winky!" said Dobby defiantly. "Dobby doesn't care what they think anymore!" **

"He shouldn't care what the Malfoys think anyway, no one should." Sirius said.

"**Oh you is a bad elf, Dobby!" moaned Winky, tears leaking down her face once more. "My poor Mr. Crouch, what is he doing without Winky? He is needing me, he is needing my help! I is looking after the Crouches all my life, and my mother is doing it before me, and my grandmother is doing it before her…oh what is they saying if they knew Winky was freed? Oh the shame, the shame!" She buried her face in her skirt again and bawled. **

"**Winky," said Hermione firmly, "I'm quite sure Mr. Crouch is getting along perfectly well without you. We've seen him, you know -" **

"**You is seeing my master?" said Winky breathlessly, raising her tearstained face out of her skirt once more and goggling at Hermione. "You is seeing him here at Hogwarts?" **

"Don't tell her that, Hermione!" James said.

"**Yes," said Hermione, "he and Mr. Bagman are judges in the Triwizard Tournament." **

"**Mr. Bagman comes too?" squeaked Winky, and to Harry's great surprise (and Ron's and Hermione's too, by the looks on their faces), she looked angry again. "Mr. Bagman is a bad wizard! A very bad wizard! My master isn't liking him, oh no, not at all!" **

"**Bagman-bad?" said Harry. **

"I have to agree with Harry here, Bagman's much to goofy to be bad." James agreed.

"Anf he's a bit of a nutter." Ron added.

"**Oh yes," Winky said, nodding her head furiously, "My master is telling Winky some things! But Winky is not saying…Winky-Winky keeps her master's secrets…" **

**She dissolved yet again in tears; they could hear her sobbing into her skirt, "Poor master, poor master, no Winky to help him no more!" **

**They couldn't get another sensible word out of Winky. They left her to her crying and finished their tea, while Dobby chatted happily about his life as a free elf and his plans for his wages. **

"**Dobby is going to buy a sweater next, Harry Potter!" he said happily, pointing at his bare chest, **

"**Tell you what, Dobby," said Ron, who seemed to have taken a great liking to the elf, "I'll give you the one my mum knits me this Christmas, I always get one from her. You don't mind maroon, do you?"**

"Ron does." Harry said, smirking.

"Every year though." Ron mumbled, "I _hate _maroon."

**Dobby was delighted. **

"**We might have to shrink it a bit to fit you," Ron told him, "but it'll go well with your tea cozy." **

**As they prepared to take their leave, many of the surrounding elves pressed in upon them, offering snacks to take back upstairs. Hermione refused, with a pained look at the way the elves kept bowing and curtsying, but Harry and Ron loaded their pockets with cream cakes and pies. **

"**Thanks a lot!" Harry said to the elves, who had all clustered around the door to say good night. "See you, Dobby!" **

"**Harry Potter…can Dobby come and see you sometimes, sir?" Dobby asked tentatively. **

Lily gave Harry a look and he was relieved he had said yes.

"'**Course you can," said Harry, and Dobby beamed. **

Lily smiled at Harry as well.

"**You know what?" said Ron, once he, Hermione, and Harry had left the kitchens behind and were climbing the steps into the entrance hall again. "All these years I've been really impressed with Fred and George, nicking food from the kitchens - well, it's not exactly difficult, is it? They can't wait to give it away!" **

"**I think this is the best thing that could have happened to those elves, you know," said Hermione, leading the way back up the marble staircase. "Dobby coming to work here, I mean. The other elves will see how happy he is, being free, and slowly it'll dawn on them that they want that too!" **

"I don't think so Hermione." James said.

"**Let's hope they don't look too closely at Winky," said Harry. **

"**Oh she'll cheer up," said Hermione, though she sounded a bit doubtful. "Once the shock's worn off, and she's got used to Hogwarts, she'll see how much better off she is without that Crouch man." **

"**She seems to love him," said Ron thickly (he had just started on a cream cake). **

"**Doesn't think much of Bagman, though, does she?" said Harry. "Wonder what Crouch says at home about him?" **

"**Probably says he's not a very good Head of Department," said Hermione, "and let's face it…he's got a point, hasn't he?" **

"**I'd still rather work for him than old Crouch," **

"Me too." The room's occupants said at once.

**said Ron. "At least Bagman's got a sense of humor." **

"**Don't let Percy hear you saying that," Hermione said, smiling slightly. **

"**Yeah, well, Percy wouldn't want to work for anyone with a sense of humor, would he?" said Ron, now starting on a chocolate éclair. "Percy wouldn't recognize a joke if it danced naked in front of him wearing Dobby's tea cozy." **

Sirius and James laughed and Ginny handed the book to Lily.

"No wait!" Sirius said, "We have to take you to the kitchens!"

Lily silently wished for a bookmark and stuck it in the book to hold their place and then got up to go with the others.

**A/N: Phew! That took a while to write.**

**So, any ideas for what should happen in the kitchens is appreciated.**

**Also, I put a new poll up on my profile (about favorite book series) so if you like, you can go answer that.**

**Please review! I have school tomorrow and nothing makes me happier than coming home to a bunch of reviews!  
**


	23. The Unexpected Task

* * *

**A/N: Poor Padfoot. XD**

**If you read the latest Marauder chapter, you'll notice something familiar here...**

**

* * *

**

Harry and Ron both used the invisibility cloaks again, even though it was Christmas break and they were unlikely to come across anyone. Once they had exited the room, Seth slithered down the hall in the opposite direction.

"Where's he going?" Sirius asked suspiciously.

Harry shrugged before realizing Sirius couldn't see him and said, "No idea."

Sirius shrugged as well (though visibly) and started rushing them all to the kitchens because he was, once again, hungry.

"Must you have a meal every couple hours, Padfoot?" James said, panting slightly as they reached the portrait of the fruit bowl.

"Some people don't?" Sirius said, a look of mock-shock on his face.

Remus and Lily rolled there eyes as Sirius tickled the pear.

It squirmed and giggled before turning into a doorknob, which Sirius hurriedly opened.

Everyone followed Sirius inside, though much less excitedly.

Ron handed one invisibility cloak to James and Harry stuffed the other in his cloak pocket.

As soon as a House-Elf noticed them, nearly all of them ran up, offering food.

Sirius grinned and began listing everything he would like; part of the House-Elves ran off to get the food.

Lily gave him a disapproving look.

"What?" He asked, oblivious.

She just sighed as the House-Elves returned with Sirius' food.

Remus' eyes widened, "Did you get anything other that desert?"

Sirius scanned the food and smirked, "I got some vegetables."

"Where?"

Sirius pointed at some jelly beans and Remus rolled his eyes and exchanged a glance with James, who nodded.

They both grabbed Sirius under his arms and dragged him backwards out of the kitchen.

"Nooooo...." Sirius yelled.

"Sirius, you're all ready hyper enough _without_ all that sugar." James said.

Sirius simply whimpered and glared at them as they waited for the others to come out.

After about ten minutes they did just that and they all went back to the room, where Seth was waiting for them.

Once everyone had came in and sat down Lily picked up the book and started to read.

**CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO **

**THE UNEXPECTED TASK **

Lily groaned, "Not another one."

"**Potter! Weasley! Will you pay attention?" **

"Never!" James shouted.

**Professor McGonagall's irritated voice cracked like a whip through the Transfiguration class on Thursday, and Harry and Ron both jumped and looked up. **

"She doesn't really effect us anymore." Sirius said.

**It was the end of the lesson; they had finished their work; the guinea fowl they had been changing into guinea pigs had been shut away in a large cage on Professor McGonagall's desk (Neville's still had feathers); they had copied down their homework from the blackboard ("Describe, with examples, the ways in which Transforming Spells must be adapted when performing Cross-Species Switches"). **

Sirius made a face.

**The bell was due to ring at any moment, and Harry and Ron, who had been having a sword fight with a couple of Fred and George's fake wands**

James and Sirius laughed and Sirius added this to his list.

** at the back of the class, looked up, Ron holding a tin parrot and Harry, a rubber haddock. **

"**Now that Potter and Weasley have been kind enough to act their age," **

"What's the fun in that?" Sirius asked; James nodded.

**said Professor McGonagall, with an angry look at the pair of them as the head of Harry's haddock drooped and fell silently to the floor-Ron's parrot's beak had severed it moments before-"I have something to say to you all. **

"**The Yule Ball**

"The what?" James asked.

"The Yule Ball." Remus said.

"It's a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament." Lily said.

James, Sirius, Harry and Ron all groaned.

**is approaching-a traditional part of the Triwizard Tournament and an opportunity for us to socialize with our foreign guests. Now, the ball will be open only to fourth years and above-although you may invite a younger student if you wish-" **

**Lavender Brown let out a shrill giggle. Parvati Patil nudged her hard in the ribs, her face working furiously as she too fought not to giggle. They both looked around at Harry, Professor McGonagall ignored them, **

"Well, that's not fair." Peter muttered.

"She usually just tries to ignore you if she's started teaching." James said.

"Unless it's impossible _not _to notice you." Sirius said, smiling.

**which Harry thought was distinctly unfair, as she had just told off him and Ron. **

"**Dress robes will be worn," Professor McGonagall continued, "and the ball will start at eight o'clock on Christmas Day,**

"What a great Christmas present." Sirius muttered under his breath.

** finishing at midnight in the Great Hall. Now then -" **

**Professor McGonagall stared deliberately around the class. **

"**The Yule Ball is of course a chance for us all to-er-let our hair down," she said, in a disapproving voice. **

**Lavender giggled harder than ever, with her hand pressed hard against her mouth to stifle the sound. Harry could see what was funny this time: Professor McGonagall, with her hair in a tight bun, looked as though she had never let her hair down in any sense. **

"**But that does NOT mean," Professor McGonagall went on, "that we will be relaxing the standards of behavior we expect from Hogwarts students. I will be most seriously displeased if a Gryffindor student embarrasses the school in any way." **

"It's a _very_ good thing you four aren't there." Lily said, looking at the Marauders.

"Us, embarrass the school? Never." They all said at once.

**The bell rang, and there was the usual scuffle of activity as everyone packed their bags and swung them onto their shoulders. **

**Professor McGonagall called above the noise, "Potter-a word, if you please." **

**Assuming this had something to do with his headless rubber haddock, Harry proceeded gloomily to the teacher's desk. Professor McGonagall waited until the rest of the class had gone, and then said, "Potter, the champions and their partners-" **

"**What partners?" said Harry. **

**Profesor McGonagall looked suspiciously at him, as though she thought he was trying to be funny. **

"**Your partners for the Yule Ball, Potter," she said coldly. "Your dance partners." **

Sirius couldn't help but snicker at his godson, even though he did feel sorry for him. Seth just snickered anyway.

**Harry's insides seemed to curl up and shrivel. **

"**Dance partners?" He felt himself going red. "I don't dance," he said quickly. **

"**Oh yes, you do," said Professor McGonagall irritably. "That's what I'm telling you. Traditionally, the champions and their partners open the ball." **

"Oh no." James muttered.

**Harry had a sudden mental image of himself in a top hat and tails, accompanied by a girl in the sort of frilly dress Aunt Petunia always wore to Uncle Vernon's work parties. **

"**I'm not dancing," he said. **

"**It is traditional," said Professor McGonagall firmly. "You are a Hogwarts champion, and you will do what is expected of you as a representative of the school. So make sure you get yourself a partner, Potter." **

"Thanks for asking what he thought about it, Minnie." Sirius said.

"**But-I don't-" **

"**You heard me, Potter," said Professor McGonagall in a very final sort of way. **

**A week ago Harry would have said finding a partner for a dance would be a cinch compared to taking on a Hungarian Horntail. But now that he had done the latter, and was facing the prospect of asking a girl to the ball, he thought he'd rather have another round with the dragon. **

Lily and Hermione rolled their eyes.

**Harry had never known so many people to put their names down to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas; he always did,**

"Do you ever not stay at Hogwarts?" Sirius asked.

Harry nodded, "Three times."

"So, the next three years after this?" Remus asked.

Harry nodded.

"Where did you stay?" James questioned.

Harry hesitated before a slip of parchment feel in his lap, _You can tell them about 5th and 6th year, but not about 7th._

"5th year we stayed with Sirius and 6th, with the Weasleys." He said.

"What about 7th?" Lily asked.

"Can't tell you."

** of course, because the alternative was usually going back to Privet Drive, but he had always been very much in the minority before now. This year, however, everyone in the fourth year and above seemed to be staying, and they all seemed to Harry to be obsessed with the coming ball **

James and Sirius had skeptical expressions on their faces.

**-or at least all the girls were, and it was amazing how many girls Hogwarts suddenly seemed to hold; he had never quite noticed that before. Girls giggling and whispering in the corridors, girls shrieking with laughter as boys passed them, girls excitedly comparing notes on what they were going to wear on Christmas night… **

"**Why do they have to move in packs?" Harry asked Ron as a dozen or so girls walked past them, sniggering and staring at Harry. "How're you supposed to get one on their own to ask them?" **

"**Lasso one?" Ron suggested.**

Lily, Hermione, and Remus all raised an eyebrow at this suggestion.

** "Got any idea who you're going to try?" **

**Harry didn't answer. He knew perfectly well whom he'd like to ask, but working up the nerve was something else…**

"Cho Chang." Sirius sing-songed.

Harry blushed as Ginny glared at Sirius.

**Cho was a year older than he was; she was very pretty; she was a very good Quidditch player, and she was also very popular. Ron seemed to know what was going on inside Harry's head. **

"**Listen, you're not going to have any trouble. You're a champion. You've just beaten a Hungarian Horntail. I bet they'll be queuing up to go with you." **

**In tribute to their recently repaired friendship, Ron had kept the bitterness in his voice to a bare minimum. Moreover, to Harry's amazement, he turned out to be quite right. **

**A curly-haired third-year Hufflepuff girl to whom Harry had never spoken in his life asked him to go to the ball with her the very next day. Harry was so taken aback he said no before he'd even stopped to consider the matter. The girl walked off looking rather hurt, and Harry had to endure Dean's, Seamus's, and Ron's taunts about her all through History of Magic. The following day, two more girls asked him, a second year and (to his horror) a fifth year who looked as though she might knock him out if he refused.**

Seth snickered as the others all looked taken-aback.

"**She was quite good-looking," said Ron fairly, after he'd stopped laughing. **

"**She was a foot taller than me," said Harry, still unnerved. "Imagine what I'd look like trying to dance with her." **

**Hermione's words about Krum kept coming back to him. **_**They only like him because he's famous**_**! Harry doubted very much if any of the girls who had asked to be his partner so far would have wanted to go to the ball with him if he hadn't been a school champion. Then he wondered if this would bother him if Cho asked him.**

Sirius snorted, "No."

Ginny had a thoughtful look on her face which terrified Sirius.

James gave her a curious look and went over to sit beside her.

He began conversing with her in a low voice.

"Traitor!" Sirius shouted.

James shrugged, "You would do the same thing is I picked on your son."

Sirius gaped at him and motioned for Lily to read.

**On the whole, Harry had to admit that even with the embarrassing prospect of opening the ball before him, life had definitely improved since he had got through the first task. He wasn't attracting nearly as much unpleasantness in the corridors anymore, which he suspected had a lot to do with Cedric-he had an idea Cedric might have told the Hufflepuffs to leave Harry alone,**

James glanced up from his discussion with Ginny and struggled for a moment between insulting Cedric and thanking him.

He sighed in defeat and decided to thank him.

Lily and Remus rolled their eyes while the others laughed.

** in gratitude for Harry's tipoff about the dragons. There seemed to be fewer Support Cedric Diggory! badges around too. Draco Malfoy, of course, was still quoting Rita Skeeter's article to him at every possible opportunity,**

Sirius jotted this down on his list.

** but he was getting fewer and fewer laughs out of it - and just to heighten Harry's feeling of well-being, no story about Hagrid had appeared in the **_**Daily Prophet**_**. **

"Good." James said, smiling.

Sirius glanced at him and Ginny worriedly.

"**She didn' seem very int'rested in magical creatures, ter tell yeh the truth," Hagrid said, when Harry, Ron, and Hermione asked him how his interview with Rita Skeeter had gone during the last Care of Magical Creatures lesson of the term. To their very great relief, Hagrid had given up on direct contact with the skrewts now,**

A few of them let out sighs of relief.

** and they were merely sheltering behind his cabin today, sitting at a trestle table and preparing a fresh selection of food with which to tempt the skrewts. **

"**She jus' wanted me ter talk about you, Harry," Hagrid continued in a low voice. "Well, I told her we'd been friends since I went ter fetch yeh from the Dursleys. 'Never had to tell him off in four years?'**

"Of course not." Sirius said, looking a bit taken aback.

James and Ginny exchanged a look and Harry, Ron and Hermione, who had been sitting close enough to hear their conversation looked amused.

** she said. 'Never played you up in lessons, has he?' **

"No." Sirius growled.

"We won't get a better opportunity than now." James whispered to Ginny; she nodded as she saw how absorbed in the book Sirius was.

Just as Lily was about to begin reading James shot a few spells at Sirius, turning him into a black miniature Poodle.

Ginny laughed and tied a large, obnoxious, pink bow around his neck and put smaller ones on his ears.

Sirius glanced around in surprise, not quite understanding yet as the others burst into laughter.

To help him understand what was going on Remus wished up a large mirror, which appeared in front of Sirius.

Sirius the poodle stared at his reflection in shock before whipping around and growling at James and Ginny.

This just made them all laugh harder.

Sirius began barking and then mentally groaned in frustration as his usually booming barks came out as a series a yips.

Lily managed to snap a wizarding picture of this which captured the moment just before everyone besides Sirius doubled over with laughter, clutching there sides.

"Sirius," James gasped, laughing hysterically, "stop it."

Sirius abandon all attempts to bark and thought curiously if turning into his animagus would fix the problem.

_They did this to me in my human form, perhaps my animagus will still be normal, _he thought.

Sirius turned into his animagus and grinned happily when it worked.

The others were still to busy trying to control their breathing while laughing to notice him.

Sirius slowly crept up behind the others and was pleased to see that Ginny and James were standing next to each other.

He took careful aim before lunging and, thankful for his animagus' size, catching both of their backs.

James and Ginny yelled out as the fell to the ground on their stomachs, Sirius on top of them.

The others stopped laughing momentarily before most of them started back.

Harry and Lily glanced down at Ginny and James as Sirius growled at them.

Shoving the huge black dog out of the way, Harry grabbed one of Ginny's hands and helped her up; Lily did the same for James.

Sirius glared at them and yelped as James' foot collided with his side, slightly harder than James had meant it to.

"Whoops, sorry Padfoot." James said, wincing as Sirius momentarily gasped for breath, "I didn't mean to kick you _that _hard."

Sirius coughed and took a few deep breaths before barking at James again.

"What?" James asked.

Sirius whimpered before turning back to his human form, which was currently shaped like a Miniature Poodle.

He yipped and whimpered once more, _Turn me back._

James crossed his arms over his chest, struggling to keep a straight face, "I don't understand what you mean, Padfoot."

The others had stopped laughing by now but still had smiles on their faces.

Sirius turned back into his animagus to look more intimidating and growled, starting out low and getting louder.

James put a puzzled look on his face an glanced at Remus, who immediately mimicked it, "Do you know what he means, Moony?"

Remus shook his head and Sirius whined.

He growled again and began walking towards James, hackles raised.

James kept the look of clueless puzzlement on his face as Sirius crept closer.

"I don't think he's kidding anymore, Prongs." Remus warned, eyeing Sirius.

Sirius nodded his head in agreement to Remus' words, still growing menacingly.

James waved Remus off, Sirius wouldn't hurt him. Right? _Right?_

"James, turn him back." Lily said, getting a little worried.

When James made no movement for his wand Sirius leapt into the air, barking loudly.

Sirius placed his big paws on James' chest as he stood on top of him and resumed growling, showing off his teeth.

James winced as Sirius shifted his weight and sent pain through his no-doubt bruised body.

Sirius thought for a moment before turning back to the little dog and glanced at Ginny, she knew the spell to fix him.

She crossed her arms stubbornly and Sirius rolled his eyes, turning back to James.

He yipped happily and nipped James on the nose.

James, his eyes watering, said, "This is ridiculous."

He picked up Sirius by the scruff of the neck, got up, sat Sirius back down and took out his wand.

Sirius wagged his tail eagerly and James muttered the spell under his breath.

"Thanks." Sirius said, before turning into his animagus and jumping into his usual chair.

James frowned and fingered his nose, as the others returned to their seats and Lily took out the book.

Sirius wagged his tail in response and curled up into a ball as Lily began reading again.

**I told her no, an she didn' seem happy at all. Yeh'd think she wanted me to say yeh were horrible, Harry." **

"Well, of course she did." James said.

"'**Course she did," said Harry, **

James sighed tiredly.

**throwing lumps of dragon liver into a large metal bowl and picking up his knife to cut some more. "She can't keep writing about what a tragic little hero I am, it'll get boring." **

"**She wants a new angle, Hagrid," said Ron wisely as he shelled salamander eggs. "You were supposed to say Harry's a mad delinquent!" **

"She should interview Sirius if she wants a mad delinquent!" James said.

Sirius growled warningly at him.

"**But he's not!" said Hagrid, looking genuinely shocked. **

"**She should've interviewed Snape," said Harry grimly. "He'd give her the goods on me any day. 'Potter has been crossing lines ever since he first arrived at this school…'" **

James made a face and Sirius growled, nodding towards his list.

James nodded in understanding and reached for it to write everything down.

"You do realize that it's you're fault Snape hates Harry so much, don't you?" Lily asked.

Sirius turned his head to the side curiously as James gave Lily a slightly puzzled look.

"The only reason he's so horrible to Harry is because he looks like you and is you son and you are horrible to Snape."

James sighed, running a hand through his hair (he smiled sheepishly at Lily), "Maybe I should apologise to him."

"ALL of you should."

Sirius barked in agreement, though reluctantly, as the others nodded.

"**Said that, did he?" **

Sirius nodded and growled.

**said Hagrid, while Ron and Hermione laughed. "Well, yeh might've bent a few rules. Harry, bu' yeh're all righ' really, aren' you?" **

"**Cheers, Hagrid," said Harry, grinning. **

"**You coming to this ball thing on Christmas Day, Hagrid?" **

"Probably, with Madame Maxime." James said.

Sirius barked in agreement, he had been thinking the same thing.

**said Ron. **

"**Though' I might look in on it, yeah," said Hagrid gruffly. "Should be a good do, I reckon. You'll be openin the dancin', won yeh, Harry? Who're you takin'?" **

"**No one, yet," said Harry, feeling himself going red again. Hagrid didn't pursue the subject. **

Sirius and Seth snickered.

**The last week of term became increasingly boisterous as it progressed. Rumors about the Yule Ball were flying everywhere, though Harry didn't believe half of them-for instance, that Dumbledore had bought eight hundred barrels of mulled mead from Madam Rosmerta. It seemed to be fact, however, that he had booked the Weird Sisters. Exactly who or what the Weird Sisters were Harry didn't know,**

Sirius turned back to his human form and said, "My cousin likes them."

"What cousin?" James asked.

"Nymphadora Tonks", Sirius said, "She's four."

"She's four and she likes the Weird Sisters?"

Sirius shrugged and turned back into his animagus.

** never having had access to a wizard's wireless,**

Sirius whined as the others from present-day sighed.

_We're going to fix that_, James thought stubbornly.

** but he deduced from the wild excitement of those who had grown up listening to the WWN (Wizarding Wireless Network) that they were a very famous musical group. **

**Some of the teachers, like little Professor Flitwick, gave up trying to teach them much when their minds were so clearly elsewhere; he allowed them to play games in his lesson on Wednesday,**

Sirius and James gaped at the book (Sirius looking very odd as he was a dog).

** and spent most of it talking to Harry about the perfect Summoning Charm Harry had used during the first task of the Triwizard Tournament. Other teachers were not so generous. **

"Darn."

**Nothing would ever deflect Professor Binns,**

"I hate his class!" James moaned.

"For once, I'm going to have to agree with you, Prongs." Remus said.

"Moony, are you all right?" James asked cautiously.

"I'm fine, Prongs. Just because I admit that I hate a class doesn't mean I'm sick." Remus muttered, rolling his eyes.

** for example, from plowing on through his notes on goblin rebellions-as Binns hadn't let his own death stand in the way of continuing to teach,**

"Sadly." Ron muttered.

** they supposed a small thing like Christmas**

"'Small thing?'" James stammered.

Sirius nodded his head in agreement to James' words.

The others laughed.

** wasn't going to put him off. It was amazing how he could make even bloody and vicious goblin riots sound as boring as Percy's cauldron-bottom report. Professors McGonagall and Moody kept them working until the very last second of their classes too,**

"Of course, it's Minnie." James said, "She hardly ever lets you have any fun."

** and Snape, of course, would no sooner let them play games in class than adopt Harry.**

"Which is fine with me." Harry muttered.

** Staring nastily around at them all, he informed them that he would be testing them on poison antidotes during the last lesson of the term. **

"**Evil, he is," **

"You just figured that out?" James asked.

Lily glared at him, "I have no clue how you are going to manage to _apologize _to Snape."

**Ron said bitterly that night in the Gryffindor common room. "Springing a test on us on the last day. Ruining the last bit of term with a whole load of studying." **

"**Mmm…you're not exactly straining yourself, though, are you?" said Hermione, looking at him over the top of her Potions notes. Ron was busy building a card castle out of his Exploding Snap pack-a much more interesting pastime than with Muggle cards, because of the chance that the whole thing would blow up at any second. **

Sirius wished up some Exploding Snap pack and turned into his animagus.

He sat down in the floor with his back up against his chair and set to work on making a castle of cards.

"**It's Christmas, Hermione," said Harry lazily; he was rereading Flying with the Cannons for the tenth time in an armchair near the fire. Hermione looked severely over at him too. **

"**I'd have thought you'd be doing something constructive, Harry, even if you don't want to learn your antidotes!" **

"**Like what?" Harry said as he watched Joey Jenkins of the Cannons belt a Bludger toward a Ballycastle Bats Chaser. **

"**That egg!" **

"Oh yeah, that." James said glumly.

**Hermione hissed. **

"**Come on, Hermione, I've got till February the twenty-fourth," Harry said. **

**He had put the golden egg upstairs in his trunk and hadn't opened it since the celebration party after the first task. There were still two and a half months to go until he needed to know what all the screechy wailing meant, after all. **

"**But it might take weeks to work it out!" said Hermione. "You're going to look a real idiot if everyone else knows what the next task is and you don't!" **

"**Leave him alone, Hermione, he's earned a bit of a break," said Ron,**

"I'm going to have to agree with both of them." Remus said.

Lily nodded, "Harry does deserve a bit of a break but he doesn't need to just _ignore _the egg."

** and he placed the last two cards on top of the castle and the whole lot blew up, singeing his eyebrows. **

Sirius laughed and continued to build his own castle.

"**Nice look Ron…go well with your dress robes, that will." **

"Fred and George." James and Sirius said at the same time, grinning.

**It was Fred and George. They sat down at the table with Harry, Ron, and Hermione as Ron felt how much damage had been done. **

"**Ron, can we borrow Pigwidgeon?" George asked. **

Sirius cursed violently as his completed castle blew up, causing cards to rain down above him and singeing the end of his hair.

Lily glared at him as the others laughed at Sirius, who was whining about his hair.

"**No, he's off delivering a letter," said Ron. "Why?" **

"**Because George wants to invite him to the ball," said Fred sarcastically. **

Sirius and James laughed.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny exchanged a sad look.

"**Because we want to send a letter, you stupid great prat," said George. **

"**Who d'you two keep writing to, eh?" said Ron. **

"**Nose out, Ron, or I'll burn that for you too," said Fred, waving his wand threateningly. "So…you lot got dates for the ball yet?" **

"**Nope," said Ron. **

"**Well, you'd better hurry up, mate, or all the good ones will be gone," said Fred. **

"**Who're you going with, then?" said Ron. **

"**Angelina," said Fred promptly, without a trace of embarrassment. **

"**What?" said Ron, taken aback. "You've already asked her?" **

"**Good point," said Fred.**

"He hasn't even asked her yet?"

** He turned his head and called across the common room, "Oi! Angelina!" **

**Angelina, who had been chatting with Alicia Spinnet near the fire, looked over at him. **

"**What?" she called back. **

"**Want to come to the ball with me?" **

**Angelina gave Fred an appraising sort of look. **

"**All right, then," she said, and she turned back to Alicia and carried on chatting with a bit of a grin on her face. **

"**There you go," said Fred to Harry and Ron, "piece of cake." **

**He got to his feet, yawning, and said, "We'd better use a school owl then, George, come on…" **

**They left. Ron stopped feeling his eyebrows and looked across the smoldering wreck of his card castle at Harry. **

Sirius apparently hadn't learned his lesson about the cards and he began rebuilding his castle, though he did sit farther back from it.

"**We should get a move on, you know…ask someone. He's right. We don't want to end up with a pair of trolls." **

**Hermione let out a sputter of indignation. **

"**A pair of…what, excuse me?" **

"**Well-you know," said Ron, shrugging. "I'd rather go alone than with–with Eloise Midgen, say." **

"**Her acne's loads better lately-and she's really nice!" **

"**Her nose is off-center," said Ron. **

"**Oh I see," Hermione said, bristling. "So basically, you're going to take the best looking girl who'll have you, even if she's completely horrible?" **

"**Er - yeah, that sounds about right," said Ron. **

"**I'm going to bed," Hermione snapped, and she swept off toward the girls' staircase without another word. **

**The Hogwarts staff, demonstrating a continued desire to impress the visitors from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang, seemed determined to show the castle at its best this Christmas. When the decorations went up. Harry noticed that they were the most stunning he had yet seen inside the school. Everlasting icicles had been attached to the banisters of the marble staircase; the usual twelve Christmas trees in the Great Hall were bedecked with everything from luminous holly berries to real, hooting, golden owls, and the suits of armor had all been bewitched to sing carols whenever anyone passed them. **

"Wow." Lily said.

"The suit of armor thing would be annoying though." James added.

Sirius nodded, "They'd get us in trouble whenever we walked pass."

**It was quite something to hear "O Come, All Ye Faithful" sung by an empty helmet that only knew half the words. Several times, Filch the caretaker had to extract Peeves from inside the armor, where he had taken to hiding, filling in the gaps in the songs with lyrics of his own invention, all of which were very rude.**

James and Sirius laughed.

**And still Harry hadn't asked Cho to the ball. He and Ron were getting very nervous now, though as Harry pointed out, Ron would look much less stupid than he would without a partner; Harry was supposed to be starting the dancing with the other champions. **

"**I suppose there's always Moaning Myrtle," **

"No!" James shouted.

Sirius snickered and a few of the others looked confused, "Myrtle like Prongsie here."

James glared at him and eagerly motioned for Lily to read.

**he said gloomily, referring to the ghost who haunted the girls' toilets on the second floor. **

"**Harry-we've just got to grit our teeth and do it," said Ron on Friday morning, in a tone that suggested they were planning the storming of an impregnable fortress. **

"**When we get back to the common room tonight, we'll both have partners-agreed?" **

"**Er…okay," said Harry. **

**But every time he glimpsed Cho that day-during break, and then lunchtime, and once on the way to History of Magic-she was surrounded by friends. Didn't she ever go anywhere alone? Could he perhaps ambush her as she was going into a bathroom? **

"Oh my gosh." Ginny said, getting annoyed.

**But no-she even seemed to go there with an escort of four or five girls. Yet if he didn't do it soon, she was bound to have been asked by somebody else. **

Sirius yelped in surprise as his castle once again blew up.

He threw his hands in the air in exasperation and sat back down in his chair.

**He found it hard to concentrate on Snape's Potions test, and consequently forgot to add the key ingredient-a bezoar-meaning that he received bottom marks. He didn't care, though; he was too busy screwing up his courage for what he was about to do. When the bell rang, he grabbed his bag, and hurried to the dungeon door. **

"**I'll meet you at dinner," he said to Ron and Hermione, and he dashed off upstairs. **

**He'd just have to ask Cho for a private word, that was all…He hurried off through the packed corridors looking for her, and (rather sooner than he had expected) he found her, emerging from a Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson. **

"**Er-Cho? Could I have a word with you?" **

**Giggling should be made illegal Harry thought furiously,**

James and Sirius laughed.

** as all the girls around Cho started doing it. She didn't, though. She said, "Okay," and followed him out of earshot other classmates. **

**Harry turned to look at her and his stomach gave a weird lurch as though he had missed a step going downstairs. **

"**Er," he said. **

**He couldn't ask her. He couldn't. But he had to. Cho stood there looking puzzled, watching him. The words came out before Harry had quite got his tongue around them. **

Lily raised her eyebrows at what she had to read next.

She read it over a few times first and then read it out loud.

"**Wangoballwime?" **

"**Sorry?" said Cho. **

"**D'you-d'you want to go to the ball with me?" said Harry. Why did he have to go red now? Why? **

Seth and Sirius snickered.

James and Sirius leaned in together and talked for a moment before the motioned for Lily to read.

"**Oh!" said Cho, and she went red too. "Oh Harry, I'm really sorry," and she truly looked it. "I've already said I'll go with someone else." **

"HA!" Sirius said triumphantly, holding out a hand.

James gave him his money and Sirius and him exchanged another bet.

"**Oh," said Harry. **

**It was odd; a moment before his insides had been writhing like snakes, but suddenly he didn't seem to have any insides at all. **

"**Oh okay," he said, "no problem." **

"**I'm really sorry," she said again. **

"**That's okay," said Harry. **

**They stood there looking at each other, and then Cho said, "Well-" **

"**Yeah," said Harry. **

"**Well, 'bye," said Cho, still very red. She walked away. **

**Harry called after her, before he could stop himself. **

"**Who're you going with?" **

"**Oh-Cedric," she said. "Cedric Diggory." **

Sirius laughed again and held out his hand.

James growled, both at Sirius and Cedric, and gave him his money.

"**Oh right," said Harry. **

**His insides had come back again. It felt as though they had been filled with lead in their absence. **

**Completely forgetting about dinner, he walked slowly back up to Gryffindor Tower, Cho's voice echoing in his ears with every step he took. "Cedric – Cedric Diggory." He had been starting to quite like Cedric - prepared to overlook the fact that he had once beaten him at Quidditch, and was handsome, and popular, and nearly everyone's favorite champion. Now he suddenly realized that Cedric was in fact a useless pretty boy who didn't have enough brains to fill an eggcup. **

Nearly everyone laughed at this and Harry blushed.

"**Fairy lights," he said dully to the Fat Lady - the password had been changed the previous day. **

"**Yes, indeed, dear!" she trilled, straightening her new tinsel hair band as she swung forward to admit him. **

**Entering the common room, Harry looked around, and to his surprise he saw Ron sitting ashen-faced in a distant corner. Ginny was sitting with him, talking to him in what seemed to be a low, soothing voice. **

"**What's up, Ron?" said Harry, joining them. **

**Ron looked up at Harry, a sort of blind horror in his face.**

"Oh no." Ron muttered, knowing what was coming.

"**Why did I do it?" he said wildly. "I don't know what made me do it!" **

"**What?" said Harry. **

"**He-er-just asked Fleur Delacour to go to the ball with him," said Ginny. She looked as though she was fighting back a smile, but she kept patting Ron's arm sympathetically. **

"**You what?' said Harry. **

"**I don't know what made me do it!" Ron gasped again. "What was I playing at? There were people - all around - I've gone mad - everyone watching! I was just walking past her in the entrance hall - she was standing there talking to Diggory - and it sort of came over me - and I asked her!" **

**Ron moaned and put his face in his hands. He kept talking, though the words were barely distinguishable. **

"**She looked at me like I was a sea slug or something. Didn't even answer. And then - I dunno - I just sort of came to my senses and ran for it." **

"**She's part veela," said Harry. "You were right - her grandmother was one. It wasn't your fault, I bet you just walked past when she was turning on the old charm for Diggory and got a blast of it - but she was wasting her time. He's going with Cho Chang." **

**Ron looked up. **

"**I asked her to go with me just now," Harry said dully, "and she told me." **

**Ginny had suddenly stopped smiling. **

"**This is mad," said Ron. "We're the only ones left who haven't got anyone - well, except Neville. Hey - guess who he asked? Hermione!" **

A few of them looked at Hermione curiously.

"**What?" said Harry, completely distracted by this startling news. **

"**Yeah, I know!" said Ron, some of the color coming back into his face as he started to laugh. "He told me after Potions! Said she's always been really nice, helping him out with work and stuff - but she told him she was already going with someone. Ha! As if! **

Hermione huffed and Ron gave her a sheepish expression.

**She just didn't want to go with Neville…I mean, who would?" **

"That was real nice." Ginny said, annoyed.

"**Don't!" said Ginny, annoyed. "Don't laugh-" **

**Just then Hermione climbed in through the portrait hole. **

"**Why weren't you two at dinner?" she said, coming over to join them. **

"**Because - oh shut up laughing, you two - because they've both just been turned down by girls they asked to the ball!" said Ginny. **

"That'll shut them up." James said.

**That shut Harry and Ron up. **

"**Thanks a bunch, Ginny," said Ron sourly. **

"**All the good-looking ones taken, Ron?" said Hermione loftily. "Eloise Midgen starting to look quite pretty now, is she? Well, I'm sure you'll find someone somewhere who'll have you." **

**But Ron was staring at Hermione as though suddenly seeing her in a whole new light. **

"**Hermione, Neville's right - you are a girl…" **

"Really?" Sirius said sarcastically.

"**Oh well spotted," she said acidly. **

"**Well - you can come with one of us!" **

"**No, I can't," snapped Hermione. **

"**Oh come on," he said impatiently, "we need partners, we're going to look really stupid if we haven't got any, everyone else has…" **

"**I can't come with you," said Hermione, now blushing, "because I'm already going with someone." **

"Who?" James asked Hermione.

She ignored him.

"**No, you're not!" said Ron. "You just said that to get rid of Neville!" **

"**Oh did I?" said Hermione, and her eyes flashed dangerously. "Just because it's taken you three years to notice, Ron, doesn't mean no one else has spotted I'm a girl!" **

**Ron stared at her. Then he grinned again. **

"**Okay, okay, we know you're a girl," he said. "That do? Will you come now?" **

"She's going with someone else." Lily said, annoyed.

"**I've already told you!" Hermione said very angrily. "I'm going with someone else!" **

**And she stormed off toward the girls' dormitories again. **

"**She's lying," said Ron flatly, watching her go. **

"**She's not," said Ginny quietly. **

"**Who is it then?" said Ron sharply. **

"**I'm not telling you, it's her business," said Ginny. **

"**Right," said Ron, who looked extremely put out, "this is getting stupid. Ginny, you can go with Harry, and I'll just -" **

"**I can't," said Ginny, and she went scarlet too. "I'm going with - with Neville. He asked me when Hermione said no, and I thought…well…I'm not going to be able to go otherwise, I'm not in fourth year." She looked extremely miserable. "I think I'll go and have dinner," she said, and she got up and walked off to the portrait hole, her head bowed. **

**Ron goggled at Harry. **

"**What's got into them?" he demanded. **

**But Harry had just seen Parvati and Lavender come in through the portrait hole. The time had come for drastic action. **

"**Wait here," he said to Ron, and he stood up, walked straight up to Parvati, and said, "Parvati? Will you go to the ball with me?" **

**Parvati went into a fit of giggles. Harry waited for them to subside, his fingers crossed in the pocket of his robes. **

"**Yes, all right then," she said finally, blushing furiously. **

"**Thanks," said Harry, in relief. "Lavender - will you go with Ron?" **

"**She's going with Seamus," said Parvati, and the pair of them giggled harder than ever. **

**Harry sighed. **

"**Can't you think of anyone who'd go with Ron?" he said, lowering his voice so that Ron wouldn't hear. **

"**What about Hermione Granger?" said Parvati. **

"**She's going with someone else." **

**Parvati looked astonished. **

"**Ooooh-who?" she said keenly. **

**Harry shrugged. "No idea," he said. "So what about Ron?" **

"**Well…" said Parvati slowly, "I suppose my sister might…Padma, you know…in Ravenclaw. I'll ask her if you like." **

"**Yeah, that would be great," said Harry. "Let me know, will you?" **

**And he went back over to Ron, feeling that this ball was a lot more trouble than it was worth, and hoping very much that Padma Patil's nose was dead center.**

Lily, annoyed, handed the book to Hermione.

**A/N: Review please! :) -hopeful expression-**

**Oh and the Marauders will be apoligizing to Snape...maybe in the next chapter. **

**Question: Should Snape come back with them and read?  
**


	24. The Yule Ball

**Author's Note: -sighs- Honestly, I don't want Snape to come read with them, so he's not. It was close anyway, yes only won by one or two. **

Hermione started to read and Lily coughed pointedly.

"Yes?" Sirius asked.

"Shouldn't you all go apologize to Snape now?" Lily asked.

James sighed, "Can't it wait until we finish with all the books?"

Lily eyed him, "You're not getting out of it."

"I don't plan on it."

"OK then." She motioned for Hermione to read.

**CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE **

**THE YULE BALL **

James, Ron and Harry all groaned as Sirius and Seth snickered.

**Despite the very heavy load of homework that the fourth years had been given for the holidays Harry was in no mood to work when term ended, and spent the week leading up to Christmas enjoying himself as fully as possible along with everyone else. **

"Good." Sirius and James said happily.

**Gryffindor Tower was hardly less crowded now than during term-time; it seemed to have shrunk slightly too, as its inhabitants were being so much rowdier than usual. Fred and George**

"No telling what they're doing." Remus muttered, looking pointedly at James and Sirius, who gave him sweet smiles that fooled no one.

** had had a great success with their Canary Creams, **

"They aren't _quite _as bad as you two then." Lily said.

**and for the first couple of days of the holidays, people kept bursting into feather all over the place.**

James grinned at Sirius, who glared in return.

** Before long, however, all the Gryffindors had learned to treat food anybody else offered them with extreme caution,**

"That's why you have to spread pranks out more...or do different ones." Sirius pointed out.

James nodded, "Target food one day...school things the next and then, once people let their guard down, you target food again."

"'School things?'" Sirius quoted.

"Oh, shut up."

** in case it had a Canary Cream concealed in the center, and George confided to Harry that he and Fred were now working on developing something else. Harry made a mental note never to accept so much as a crisp from Fred and George in future. He still hadn't forgotten Dudley and the Ton-Tongue Toffee. **

**Snow was falling thickly upon the castle and its grounds now. **

"I don't like snow very much." Sirius said.

James, Peter and Remus nodded in agreement.

"What do you have against snow?" Ginny asked curiously.

"It's very cold during full moons when there's snow on the ground." James said.

"It's not that bad during the day." Remus added.

Sirius nodded, "Quite fun, actually."

**The pale blue Beauxbatons carriage looked like a large, chilly, frosted pumpkin next to the iced gingerbread house that was Hagrid's cabin,**

Sirius made a face as he thought about this, "I can't imagine Hagrid's cabin as a gingerbread house."

** while the Durmstrang ship's portholes were glazed with ice, the rigging white with frost. The house-elves down in the kitchen were outdoing themselves with a series of rich, warming stews and savory puddings, and only Fleur Delacour seemed to be able to find anything to complain about. **

Sirius glared at the book, "How in the world can she possible find anything wrong with the food?"

"Why did Bill marry her?" Ginny asked under her breath, so only Harry, Ron and Hermione could hear.

"**It is too 'eavy, all zis 'Ogwarts food," they heard her saying grumpily as they left the Great Hall behind her one evening (Ron skulking behind Harry, keen not to be spotted by Fleur). "I will not fit into my dress robes!" **

Sirius rolled his eyes along with the majority of the room.

"**Oooh there's a tragedy," Hermione snapped as Fleur went out into the entrance hall. "She really thinks a lot of herself, that one, doesn't she?" **

"**Hermione-who are you going to the ball with?" said Ron. **

**He kept springing this question on her, hoping to startle her into a response by asking it when she least expected it. However, Hermione merely frowned and said, "I'm not telling you, you'll just make fun of me." **

"**You're joking, Weasley!" said Malfoy, behind them. "You're not telling me someone's asked that to the ball?**

Everyone in the room shouted protests.

** Not the long-molared Mudblood?" **

"At least she's not a pompous pure-blood prat!" Sirius snapped.

"Nice, Padfoot, alliteration." James said, grinning as he high-fived Sirius.

"Allita-whattion?" Sirius asked, lowering his hand.

"Never mind." Lily said, motioning for Hermione to read.

**Harry and Ron both whipped around, but Hermione said loudly, waving to somebody over Malfoys shoulder, "Hello, Professor Moody!" **

**Malfoy went pale and jumped backward, looking wildly around for Moody,**

James and Sirius started laughing.

** but he was still up at the staff table, finishing his stew. **

"**Twitchy little ferret, aren't you, Malfoy?" said Hermione scathingly,**

"Good one." James complimented, laughing with the others.

** and she, Harry, and Ron went up the marble staircase laughing heartily. **

"**Hermione," said Ron, looking sideways at her, suddenly frowning, "your teeth…" **

"**What about them?" she said. **

"**Well, they're different…I've just noticed…" **

"**Of course they are - did you expect me to keep those fangs Malfoy gave me?" **

"**No, I mean, they're different to how they were before he put that hex on you…They're all…straight and-and normal-sized." **

**Hermione suddenly smiled very mischievously, and Harry noticed it too: It was a very different smile from the one he remembered. **

"**Well…when I went up to Madam Pomfrey to get them shrunk, she held up a mirror and told me to stop her when they were back to how they normally were," she said. "And I just…let her carry on a bit." She smiled even more widely. **

"**Mum and Dad won't be too pleased. I've been trying to persuade them to let me shrink them for ages, but they wanted me to carry on with my braces. **

"What-" Sirius asked.

Lily sighed, "It's this muggle thing were they put metal braces on your teeth and slowly tighten them up to make your teeth straight."

"Sounds like fun." Sirius said sarcastically.

**You know, they're dentists, they just don't think teeth and magic should-look! Pigwidgeons back!" **

Sirius gave an excited squeek, causing the others to laugh.

"It's my letter!" He said, not caring the others were laughing at him.

**Ron's tiny owl was twittering madly on the top of the icicle-laden banisters, a scroll of parchment tied to his leg. People passing him were pointing and laughing, and a group of third-year girls paused and said, "Oh look at the weeny owl! Isn't he cute?" **

"**Stupid little feathery git!" Ron hissed,**

Seth snickered.

** hurrying up the stairs and snatching up Pigwidgeon. "You bring letters to the addresses! You don't hang around showing off!" **

**Pigwidgeon hooted happily, his head protruding over Ron's fist. The third-year girls all looked very shocked. **

"**Clear off!" Ron snapped at them, waving the fist holding Pigwidgeon, who hooted more happily than ever as he soared through the air.**

A few of them laughed.

** "Here - take it, Harry," Ron added in an undertone as the third-year girls scuttled away looking scandalized. He pulled Sirius's reply off Pigwidgeons leg. Harry pocketed it, and they hurried back to Gryffindor Tower to read it. **

"Hurry...!" Sirius moaned, eager to hear from his future self.

Harry laughed.

**Everyone in the common room was much too busy in letting off more holiday steam to observe what anyone else was up to. Ron, Harry, and Hermione sat apart from everyone else by a dark window that was gradually filling up with snow, and Harry read out: **

_**Dear Harry, **_

_**Congratulations on getting past the Horntail. Whoever put your name in that goblet shouldn**_**'**_**t be feeling too happy right now! I was going to suggest a Conjunctivitis Curse, **_

"Isn't that what you suggested earlier?" James asked.

Sirius nodded, "Apparently future me thinks pretty much the same way."

_**as a dragon**_**'**_**s eyes are its weakest point – **_

"**That's what Krum did!" Hermione whispered – **

"Good thing Harry didn't use it then, Krum's dragon smashed all the eggs." Remus said.

_**But your way was better, I**_**'**_**m impressed. **_

_**Don**_**'**_**t get complacent, though, Harry. You**_**'**_**ve only done one task; whoever put you in for the tournament**_**'**_**s got plenty more opportunity if they**_**'**_**re trying to hurt you. Keep your eyes open -particularly when the person we discussed is around and concentrate on keeping yourself out of trouble. **_

Sirius sighed, "I sound like Moody."

"You're just trying to protect him." Lily comforted, giving Sirius a thankful smile.

_**Keep in touch, I still want to hear about anything unusual. **_

_**Sirius **_

"You really shouldn't use your name." Remus said worriedly.

"**He sounds exactly like Moody," said Harry quietly, tucking the letter away again inside his robes. "'Constant vigilance!' You'd think I walk around with my eyes shut, banging off the walls…" **

"**But he's right, Harry," said Hermione, "you have still got two tasks to do. You really ought to have a look at that egg, you know, and start working out what it means…" **

"**Hermione, he's got ages!" **

"It be better just to go ahead and work out what it means." Lily said.

James nodded, "The next task is going to there before they know it."

**snapped Ron. "Want a game of chess, Harry?" **

"**Yeah, okay," said Harry. Then, spotting the look on Hermione's face, he said, "Come on, how'm I supposed to concentrate with all this noise going on? I won't even be able to hear the egg over this lot." **

"**Oh I suppose not," she sighed, and she sat down to watch their chess match, which culminated in an exciting checkmate of Ron's, involving a couple of recklessly brave pawns and a very violent bishop. **

**Harry awoke very suddenly on Christmas Day. **

Sirius, James and Peter all cheered while Remus looked at them, amused and Lily rolled her eyes.

Sirius, "Aw...come one Evans, Christmas! Be excited!"

"Hooray." Lily said dully.

Sirius scowled at her.

**Wondering what had caused his abrupt return to consciousness, he opened his eyes, and saw something with very large, round, green eyes staring back at him in the darkness, so close they were almost nose to nose. **

"**Dobby!" Harry yelled, scrambling away from the elf so fast he almost fell out of bed. "Don't do that!" **

"**Dobby is sorry, sir!" squeaked Dobby anxiously, jumping backward with his long fingers over his mouth. "Dobby is only wanting to wish Harry Potter 'Merry Christmas' and bring him a present,**

"That's nice of him." Lily said.

Sirius leaned in towards James. Remus noticed what they were doing and joined in.

Lily rolled her eyes, "Must you bet about everything?"

"Pretty much." Sirius replied, smiling.

** Sir! Harry Potter did say Dobby could come and see him sometimes, sir!" **

"**It's okay," said Harry, still breathing rather faster than usual, while his heart rate returned to normal. "Just-just prod me or something in future, all right, don't bend over me like that…" **

**Harry pulled back the curtains around his four-poster, took his glasses from his bedside table, and put them on. His yell had awoken Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville. All of them were peering through the gaps in their own hangings, heavyeyed and tousle-haired. **

"**Someone attacking you, Harry?" Seamus asked sleepily. **

"**No, it's just Dobby," Harry muttered. "Go back to sleep." **

"No...presents." Sirius moaned.

"**Nah…presents!" said Seamus, **

"That was weird..." Sirius muttered.

James nodded, "It's usually Ron who says the same things as you."

**spotting the large pile at the foot of his bed. Ron, Dean, and Neville decided that now they were awake they might as well get down to some present-opening too. Harry turned back to Dobby, who was now standing nervously next to Harry's bed, still looking worried that he had upset Harry. There was a Christmas bauble tied to the loop on top of his tea cozy. **

"**Can Dobby give Harry Potter his present?" he squeaked tentatively. **

"'**Course you can," said Harry. "Er…I've got something for you too." **

**It was a lie; he hadn't bought anything for Dobby at all, but he quickly opened his trunk and pulled out a particularly knobbly rolled-up pair of socks. They were his oldest and foulest, mustard yellow, and had once belonged to Uncle Vernon.**

"Yuck." Lily said.

"Dobby'll like them anyway." Remus reasoned.

** The reason they were extra-knobbly was that Harry had been using them to cushion his Sneakoscope for over a year now. He pulled out the Sneako-scope and handed the socks to Dobby, saying, "Sorry, I forgot to wrap them…" **

**But Dobby was utterly delighted. **

"**Socks are Dobby's favorite, favorite clothes, sir!" he said, ripping off his odd ones and pulling on Uncle Vernon's. "I has seven now, sir…But sir…" he said, his eyes widening, having pulled both socks up to their highest extent, so that they reached to the bottom of his shorts, "they has made a mistake in the shop, Harry Potter, they is giving you two the same!" **

Sirius, James, Ron and Harry all laughed.

"**Ah, no, Harry, how come you didn't spot that?" said Ron, grinning over from his own bed, which was now strewn with wrapping paper. "Tell you what, Dobby - here you go - take these two, and you can mix them up properly. And here's your sweater." **

**He threw Dobby a pair of violet socks he had just unwrapped, and the handknitted sweater Mrs. Weasley had sent, Dobby looked quite overwhelmed. **

"**Sir is very kind!" he squeaked, his eyes brimming with tears again, bowing deeply to Ron. "Dobby knew sir must be a great wizard, for he is Harry Potter's greatest friend, but Dobby did not know that he was also as generous of spirit, as noble, as selfless -" **

"Ron's gonna love that." Sirius said, laughing as present-day (future?) Ron blushed a little.

"**They're only socks," said Ron, who had gone slightly pink around the ears, though he looked rather pleased all the same. "Wow, Harry -" He had just opened Harry's present, a Chudley Cannon hat. "Cool!" He jammed it onto his head, where it clashed horribly with his hair. **

Ron frowned.

**Dobby now handed Harry a small package, which turned out to be-socks. **

Remus grinned triumphantly and James and Sirius passed him some coins.

"Are you _sure _you aren't a seer?" Sirius asked.

Remus laughed, "Positive."

"Sure you haven't already read this book?"

"Nope, never read it. If I had, don't you think I'd have told you I was reading a book about us?"

"Maybe your just future you in disguise." Sirius said, eying Remus critically.

Remus laughed and said mysteriously, "Maybe so."

"I want my money back, cheater!" James teased.

Remus shook his head, grinning as Lily snapped, "Will you three shut up, so we can continue?"

Sirius pouted as Hermione continued.

"**Dobby is making them himself, sir!" the elf said happily. "He is buying the wool out of his wages, sir!" **

**The left sock was bright red and had a pattern of broomsticks upon it; the right sock was green with a pattern of Snitches. **

James laughed, "Cool, Quidditch socks."

Sirius grinned and wished up some socks to match the ones Dobby had given Harry. He took out his wand and made it so the snitches fluttered and the brooms flew around.

"Here you go Prongsie." He said, tossing them to James.

James grimaced as he caught them.

"If you wear them I'll do...something." Sirius said, not sure what to bribe him with.

"Anything?"

Sirius frowned, knowing this was giving James _way _to much freedom and said, "Anything."

"How long do I have to wear the socks?"

"Uh...the rest of the week."

James nodded, "Alright."

He pulled the socks on and Sirius asked, "What do I have to do?"

"I'll to you later, let me think."

Sirius gulped.

"**They're…they're really…well, thanks, Dobby," said Harry, and he pulled them on, causing Dobby's eyes to leak with happiness again. **

"**Dobby must go now, sir, we is already making Christmas dinner in the kitchens!" said Dobby, and he hurried out of the dormitory, waving good-bye to Ron and the others as he passed. **

**Harry's other presents were much more satisfactory than Dobby's odd socks–with the obvious exception of the Dursleys',**

"I'm surprised they even _gave _him anything." James muttered. He exchanged a glance with Lily. _They were going to fix that._

** which consisted of a single tissue, **

"They might as well not have sent him _anything_." Sirius growled.

**an all time low-Harry supposed they too were remembering the Ton-Tongue Toffee. **

"That not a very good reason." Lily muttered.

Harry refrained from saying anything.

**Hermione had given Harry a book called Quidditch Teams of Britain and Ireland; Ron, a bulging bag of Dungbombs; Sirius, a handy penknife with attachments to unlock any lock and undo any knot; **

"Wonder where I got that..." Sirius said curiously.

**and Hagrid, a vast box of sweets including all Harry's favorites: Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, **

"Bertie Bott's are you favorites?" Sirius asked, disbelieving.

"I hadn't had them until I went to Hogwarts..." Harry said.

James and Sirius frowned as Lily said, "They're interesting."

Harry nodded in agreement.

**Chocolate Frogs, Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, and Fizzing Whizbees. There was also, of course, Mrs. Weasley's usual package, including a new sweater (green, with a picture of a dragon on it**

"Ugh." Sirius muttered.

**-Harry supposed Charlie had told her all about the Horntail), and a large quantity of homemade mince pies. **

**Harry and Ron met up with Hermione in the common room, and they went down to breakfast together. They spent most of the morning in Gryffindor Tower, where everyone was enjoying their presents, then returned to the Great Hall for a magnificent lunch, which included at least a hundred turkeys and Christmas puddings, and large piles of Cribbage's Wizarding Crackers. **

"Remember that time we sabatoged all the Slytherians crackers?" Remus asked.

James, Sirius and Peter laughed as Lily smiled slightly.

"All they got out of them was little stuffed animals." Sirius said, smiling.

**They went out onto the grounds in the afternoon; the snow was untouched except for the deep channels made by the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons students on their way up to the castle. Hermione chose to watch Harry and the Weasleys' snowball fight rather than join in, **

"Aw...Hermione." Sirius whined.

"Snowball fights are fun!" James agreed.

Hermione shrugged.

**and at five o'clock said she was going back upstairs to get ready for the ball. **

"**What, you need three hours?" said Ron, looking at her incredulously and paying for his lapse in concentration when a large snowball, thrown by George, hit him hard on the side of the head. **

"**Who're you going with?" he yelled after Hermione, but she just waved and disappeared up the stone steps into the castle. **

**There was no Christmas tea today,**

Sirius whimpered.

** as the ball included a feast, **

"Awesome!" Sirius shouted.

Lily, Remus and Hermione rolled their eyes.

**so at seven o'clock, when it had become hard to aim properly, the others abandoned their snowball fight and trooped back to the common room. The Fat Lady was sitting in her frame with her friend Violet from downstairs, both of them extremely tipsy, empty boxes of chocolate liqueurs littering the bottom other picture. **

"**Lairy fights, that's the one!" she giggled when they gave the password, and she swung forward to let them inside. **

**Harry, Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville changed into their dress robes up in their dormitory, all of them looking very self-conscious, but none as much as Ron, who surveyed himself in the long mirror in the corner with an appalled look on his face. There was just no getting around the fact that his robes looked more like a dress than anything else. **

Seth snickered, Ron blushed and everyone gave him sympathetic looks.

**In a desperate attempt to make them look more manly, he used a Severing Charm on the ruff and cuffs. It worked fairly well; at least he was now lace-free, although he hadn't done a very neat job, and the edges still looked depressingly frayed as the boys set off downstairs. **

"**I still can't work out how you two got the best-looking girls in the year," muttered Dean. **

"**Animal magnetism," said Ron gloomily, pulling stray threads out of his cuffs. **

**The common room looked strange, full of people wearing different colors instead of the usual mass of black. Parvati was waiting for Harry at the foot of the stairs. She looked very pretty indeed, in robes of shocking pink, with her long dark plait braided with gold, and gold bracelets glimmering at her wrists. Harry was relieved to see that she wasn't giggling. **

"**You-er-look nice," he said awkwardly. **

James sighed, Harry clearly hadn't inherited the Potter Charm.

"James, shut up." Lily said, knowing _exactly _what he was thinking.

"What-I-I Didn't say anything!" James cried, looking shocked.

The others all laughed as James pouted.

"**Thanks," she said. "Padma's going to meet you in the entrance hall," she added to Ron. **

"**Right," said Ron, looking around. "Where's Hermione?" **

**Parvati shrugged. "Shall we go down then, Harry?" **

"**Okay," said Harry, wishing he could just stay in the common room. Fred winked at Harry as he passed him on the way out of the portrait hole. **

**The entrance hall was packed with students too, all milling around waiting for eight o'clock, when the doors to the Great Hall would be thrown open. Those people who were meeting partners from different Houses were edging through the crowd trying to find one another. Parvati found her sister, Padma, and led her over to Harry and Ron. **

"**Hi," said Padma, who was looking just as pretty as Parvati in robes of bright turquoise. She didn't look too enthusiastic about having Ron as a partner, though; her dark eyes lingered on the frayed neck and sleeves of his dress robes as she looked him up and down. **

Ron frowned.

"**Hi," said Ron, not looking at her, but staring around at the crowd. "Oh no…" **

**He bent his knees slightly to hide behind Harry, because Fleur Delacour was passing, **

"Honestly." Ginny muttered, glaring at her brother.

**looking stunning in robes of silver-gray satin, and accompanied by the Ravenclaw Quidditch captain, Roger Davies. When they had disappeared, Ron stood straight again and stared over the heads of the crowd. **

"**Where is Hermione?" he said again. **

**A group of Slytherins**

Sirius growled.

** came up the steps from their dungeon common room. Malfoy **

Sirius' growl deepened.

**was in front; he was wearing dress robes of black velvet with a high collar, which in Harry's opinion made him look like a vicar. Pansy Parkinson in very frilly robes of pale pink was clutching Malfoy's arm. Crabbe and Goyle were both wearing green; they resembled moss-colored boulders, and neither of them, Harry was pleased to see, had managed to find a partner. **

"I'm not surprised." James said.

**The oak front doors opened, and everyone turned to look as the Durmstrang students entered with Professor Karkaroff. Krum was at the front of the party, accompanied by a pretty girl in blue robes Harry didn't know.**

Hermione gave Harry a puzzled look, and he smiled sheepishly.

Remus and Lily glanced at them curiously, being the only ones who noticed.

** Over their heads he saw that an area of lawn right in front of the castle had been transformed into a sort of grotto full of fairy lights-meaning hundreds of actual living fairies were sitting in the rosebushes that had been conjured there, and fluttering over the statues of what seemed to be Father Christmas and his reindeer. **

**Then Professor McGonagall's voice called, "Champions over here, please!" **

**Parvati readjusted her bangles, beaming; she and Harry said, "See you in a minute" to Ron and Padma and walked forward, the chattering crowd parting to let them through. Professor McGonagall, who was wearing dress robes of red tartan and had arranged a rather ugly wreath of thistles around the brim other hat,**

"Don't tell her that." Peter said, shuddering at the thought.

** told them to wait on one side of the doors while everyone else went inside; they were to enter the Great Hall in procession when the rest of the students had sat down. **

**Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies stationed themselves nearest the doors; Davies looked so stunned by his good fortune in having Fleur for a partner that he could hardly take his eyes off her. Cedric and Cho were close to Harry too; he looked away from them so he wouldn't have to talk to them. His eyes fell instead on the girl next to Krum. His jaw dropped. **

**It was Hermione. **

Ron scowled as the others (minus Harry, Ginny, and Hermione of course) looked a little shocked.

**But she didn't look like Hermione at all. She had done something with her hair; it was no longer bushy but sleek and shiny, and twisted up into an elegant knot at the back of her head. She was wearing robes made of a floaty, periwinkle-blue material, and she was holding herself differently, somehow-or maybe it was merely the absence of the twenty or so books she usually had slung over her back. **

**She was also smiling-rather nervously, it was true-but the reduction in the size of her front teeth was more noticeable than ever; Harry couldn't understand how he hadn't spotted it before. **

"**Hi, Harry!" she said. "Hi, Parvati!" **

**Parvati was gazing at Hermione in unflattering disbelief. She wasn't the only one either; when the doors to the Great Hall opened, Krum's fan club from the library stalked past, throwing Hermione looks of deepest loathing. Pansy Parkinson gaped at her as she walked by with Malfoy, and even he didn't seem to be able to find an insult to throw at her. **

Hermione smiled.

**Ron, however, walked right past Hermione without looking at her. **

"Jealous much?" Sirius asked.

Ron chose to ignore him.

**Once everyone else was settled in the Hall, Professor McGonagall told the champions and their partners to get in line in pairs and to follow her. They did so, and everyone in the Great Hall applauded as they entered and started walking up toward a large round table at the top of the Hall, where the judges were sitting. The walls of the Hall had all been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The House tables had vanished; instead, there were about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people. **

**Harry concentrated on not tripping over his feet. Parvati seemed to be enjoying herself; she was beaming around at everybody, steering Harry so forcefully that he felt as though he were a show dog she was putting through its paces.**

Sirius looked offended.

James rolled his eyes, "You're going to have to get used to the fact that their are a lot of sayings about dogs, Padfoot."

** He caught sight of Ron and Padma as he neared the top table. Ron was watching Hermione pass with narrowed eyes. Padma was looking sulky. **

**Dumbledore smiled happily as the champions approached the top table, but Karkaroff wore an expression remarkably like Ron's as he watched Krum and Hermione draw nearer. Ludo Bagman, tonight in robes of bright purple with large yellow stars, was clapping as enthusiastically as any of the students; and Madame Maxime, who had changed her usual uniform of black satin for a flowing gown of lavender silk, was applauding them politely. But Mr. Crouch, Harry suddenly realized, was not there. The fifth seat at the table was occupied by Percy Weasley. **

Sirius and James frowned in dislike. Remus and Lily were frowning too, though their frowns were in concentration. _Where was Crouch?_

**When the champions and their partners reached the table, Percy drew out the empty chair beside him, staring pointedly at Harry. Harry took the hint and sat down next to Percy, who was wearing brand-new, navy-blue dress robes and an expression of such smugness that Harry thought it ought to be fined. **

"**I've been promoted," Percy said before Harry could even ask, and from his tone, he might have been announcing his election as supreme ruler of the universe. "I'm now Mr. Crouch's personal assistant, and I'm here representing him."**

"Congrats." James growled.

"**Why didn't he come?" Harry asked. He wasn't looking forward to being lectured on cauldron bottoms all through dinner. **

Hermione groaned a little as she saw the paragraph ahead.

"**I'm afraid to say Mr. Crouch isn't well, not well at all. Hasn't been right since the World Cup. Hardly surprising-overwork.**

Remus raised an eyebrow, "And what is it exactly that Percy's doing?"

** He's not as young as he was–though still quite brilliant, of course, the mind remains as great as it ever was. But the World Cup was a fiasco for the whole Ministry, and then, Mr. Crouch suffered a huge personal shock with the misbehavior of that house-elf of his, Blinky,**

"Winky." Hermione and Lily corrected.

** or whatever she was called. Naturally, he dismissed her immediately afterward, but-well, as I say, he's getting on, he needs looking after, and I think he's found a definite drop in his home comforts since she left. And then we had the tournament to arrange, and the aftermath of the Cup to deal with-that revolting Skeeter woman buzzing around**

"I have to agree with Percy there, Skeeter _is _revolting." Sirius said.

**-no, poor man, he's having a well earned, quiet Christmas. I'm just glad he knew he had someone he could rely upon to take his place." **

**Harry wanted very much to ask whether Mr. Crouch had stopped calling Percy "Weatherby" yet, **

Sirius and James laughed.

**but resisted the temptation.**

"Darn." James said, frowning.

**There was no food as yet on the glittering golden plates, but small menus were lying in front of each of them. Harry picked his up uncertainly and looked around-there were no waiters. Dumbledore, however, looked carefully down at his own menu, then said very clearly to his plate, "Pork chops!" **

**And pork chops appeared.**

"Cool." Sirius said.

** Getting the idea, the rest of the table placed their orders with their plates too. Harry glanced up at Hermione to see how she felt about this new and more complicated method of dining-surely it meant plenty of extra work for the house-elves?-but for once, Hermione didn't seem to be thinking about S.P.E.W. She was deep in talk with Viktor Krum and hardly seemed to notice what she was eating. **

**It now occurred to Harry that he had never actually heard Krum speak before, but he was certainly talking now, and very enthusiastically at that. **

"**Veil, ve have a castle also, not as big as this, nor as comfortable, I am thinking," he was telling Hermione. "Ve have just four floors, and the fires are lit only for magical purposes. But ve have grounds larger even than these-though in vinter, ve have very little daylight, so ve are not enjoying them. But in summer ve are flying every day, over the lakes and the mountains-" **

"**Now, now, Viktor!" said Karkaroff with a laugh that didn't reach his cold eyes, "don't go giving away anything else, now, or your charming friend will know exactly where to find us!" **

**Dumbledore smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Igor, all this secrecy…one would almost think you didn't want visitors." **

"That's because he probably doesn't." Ron said.

"**Well, Dumbledore," said Karkaroff, displaying his yellowing teeth to their fullest extent, "we are all protective of our private domains, are we not? Do we not jealously guard the halls of learning that have been entrusted to us? Are we not right to be proud that we alone know our school's secrets, and right to protect them?" **

"**Oh I would never dream of assuming I know all Hogwarts' secrets, Igor," said Dumbledore amicably. "Only this morning, for instance, I took a wrong turn on the way to the bathroom and found myself in a beautifully proportioned room I have never seen before, containing a really rather magnificent collection of chamber pots. When I went back to investigate more closely, I discovered that the room had vanished. **

"The Room of Requirement, you think?" Sirius asked.

James nodded unsretainly, "Sounds right...but surely Dumbledore knew about it before then."

"Guess not." Remus said.

**But I must keep an eye out for it. Possibly it is only accessible at five-thirty in the morning. Or it may only appear at the quarter moon-or when the seeker has an exceptionally full bladder." **

**Harry snorted into his plate of goulash. Percy frowned, but Harry could have sworn Dumbledore had given him a very small wink. **

**Meanwhile Fleur Delacour was criticizing the Hogwarts decorations to Roger Davies. **

"She should just leave!" Sirius shouted.

James nodded, "She apparently doesn't like anything about the school."

"**Zis is nothing," she said dismissively, looking around at the sparkling walls of the Great Hall. "At ze Palace of Beauxbatons, we 'ave ice sculptures all around ze dining chamber at Chreestmas. Zey do not melt, of course…zey are like 'uge statues of diamond, glittering around ze place. And ze food is seemply superb. And we 'ave choirs of wood nymphs, 'oo serenade us as we eat. We 'ave none of zis ugly armor in ze 'alls, **

"We _could _do without the suits of armor." James said reasonably.

Lily laughed, "You just don't like them because they get you in trouble all the time."

"So?"

**and eef a poltergeist ever entaired into Beauxbatons, 'e would be expelled like zat."**

"Could you expell Peeves?" Peter asked.

"I wouldn't think so, he isn't a student." Remus said.

"The ghosts can't leave either, can they?" James questioned.

Lily shook her head, "I don't think so."

** She slapped her hand onto the table impatiently. **

**Roger Davies was watching her talk with a very dazed look on his face, and he kept missing his mouth with his fork. Harry had the impression that Davies was too busy staring at Fleur to take in a word she was saying. **

"**Absolutely right," he said quickly, slapping his own hand down on the table in imitation of Fleur. "Like that. Yeah." **

**Harry looked around the Hall. Hagrid was sitting at one of the other staff tables; he was back in his horrible hairy brown suit**

"We need to buy Hagrid a new suit." James said.

Sirius nodded in agreement and jotted it down in the corner of his pranking list.

** and gazing up at the top table. Harry saw him give a small wave, and looking around, saw Madame Maxime return it, her opals glittering in the candlelight. **

**Hermione was now teaching Krum to say her name properly; he kept calling her "Hermy-own." **

"**Her-my-oh-nee," she said slowly and clearly. **

"**Herm-own-ninny." **

"**Close enough," she said, catching Harry's eye and grinning. **

**When all the food had been consumed, Dumbledore stood up and asked the students to do the same. Then, with a wave of his wand, all the tables zoomed back along the walls leaving the floor clear,**

Sirius laughed, "That would've been great if he hadn't said anything."

James laughed too, "-And all the students fell on the floor."

** and then he conjured a raised platform into existence along the right wall. A set of drums, several guitars, a lute, a cello, and some bagpipes were set upon it. **

**The Weird Sisters now trooped up onto the stage to wildly enthusiastic applause; they were all extremely hairy and dressed in black robes that had been artfully ripped and torn. They picked up their instruments, and Harry, who had been so interested in watching them that he had almost forgotten what was coming, suddenly realized that the lanterns on all the other tables had gone out, and that the other champions and their partners were standing up. **

"**Come on!" Parvati hissed. "We're supposed to dance!" **

**Harry tripped over his dress robes as he stood up. The Weird Sisters struck up a slow, mournful tune; Harry walked onto the brightly lit dance floor, carefully avoiding catching anyone's eye (he could see Seamus and Dean waving at him and sniggering), and next moment, Parvati had seized his hands, placed one around her waist, and was holding the other tightly in hers. **

**It wasn't as bad as it could have been. Harry thought, revolving slowly on the spot (Parvati was steering). He kept his eyes fixed over the heads of the watching people, and very soon many of them too had come onto the dance floor, so that the champions were no longer the center of attention. Neville and Ginny were dancing nearby-he could see Ginny wincing frequently as Neville trod on her feet**

A few of them gave Ginny sympathetic looks.

**–and Dumbledore was waltzing with Madame Maxime. He was so dwarfed by her that the top of his pointed hat barely tickled her chin; however, she moved very gracefully for a woman so large. Mad-Eye Moody was doing an extremely ungainly two-step with Professor Sinistra, who was nervously avoiding his wooden leg. **

"**Nice socks Potter," Moody growled as he passed, his magical eye staring through Harry's robes. **

"**Oh-yeah, Dobby the house-elf knitted them for me," said Harry, grinning. **

Sirius looked pointedly at James' feet and snickered.

James rolled his eyes, "You just wait, I'm still thinking of something to do to you."

"**He is so creepy!" Parvati whispered as Moody clunked away. "I don't think that eye should be allowed." **

**Harry heard the final, quavering note from the bagpipe with relief. The Weird Sisters stopped playing, applause filled the hall once more, and Harry let go of Parvati at once. **

"**Let's sit down, shall we?" **

"**Oh-but-this is a really good one!" Parvati said as the Weird Sisters struck up a new song, which was much faster. **

"**No, I don't like it," Harry lied, and he led her away from the dance floor, past Fred and Angelina, who were dancing so exhuberantly that people around them were backing away in fear of injury, and over to the table where Ron and Padma were sitting. **

"**How's it going?" Harry asked Ron, sitting down and opening a bottle of butterbeer. **

**Ron didn't answer. He was glaring at Hermione and Krum, **

"Merlin." Lily muttered.

**who were dancing nearby. Padma was sitting with her arms and legs crossed, one foot jiggling in time to the music. Every now and then she threw a disgruntled look at Ron, who was completely ignoring her. **

Lily gave Ron a disapproving look.

**Parvati sat down on Harry's other side, crossed her arms and legs too, and within minutes was asked to dance by a boy from Beauxbatons. **

"**You don't mind, do you, Harry?" Parvati said. **

"**What?" said Harry, who was now watching Cho and Cedric. **

"**Oh never mind," snapped Parvati, and she went off with the boy from Beauxbatons. When the song ended, she did not return. **

**Hermione came over and sat down in Parvati's empty chair. She was a bit pink in the face from dancing. **

"**Hi," said Harry. Ron didn't say anything. **

"**It's hot, isn't it?" said Hermione, fanning herself with her hand. "Viktors just gone to get some drinks." **

**Ron gave her a withering look. "Viktor?" he said. "Hasn't he asked you to call him Vicky yet?" **

**Hermione looked at him in surprise. "What's up with you?" she said. **

"**If you don't know," said Ron scathingly, "I'm not going to tell you." **

"That was kinda dumb." Sirius muttered.

**Hermione stared at him, then at Harry, who shrugged. **

"**Ron, what -?" **

"**He's from Durmstrang!" spat Ron. "He's competing against Harry! Against Hogwarts! You - you're -" Ron was obviously casting around for words strong enough to describe Hermione's crime, "fraternizing with the enemy, that's what you're doing!" **

"And that's _really _dumb." James added.

**Hermione's mouth fell open. **

"**Don't be so stupid!" she said after a moment. "The enemy! Honestly - who was the one who was all excited when they saw him arrive? Who was the one who wanted his autograph? Who's got a model of him up in their dormitory?" **

**Ron chose to ignore this. "I s'pose he asked you to come with him while you were both in the library?" **

"**Yes, he did," said Hermione, the pink patches on her cheeks glowing more brightly. "So what?" **

"**What happened - trying to get him to join spew, were you?" **

"**No, I wasn't! If you really want to know, he - he said he'd been coming up to the library every day to try and talk to me, but he hadn't been able to pluck up the courage!" **

**Hermione said this very quickly, and blushed so deeply that she was the same color as Parvati's robes. **

"**Yeah, well - that's his story," said Ron nastily. **

"This is ridiculous." Lily muttered, glancing at Ron and Hermione.

"**And what's that supposed to mean?" **

"**Obvious, isn't it? He's Karkaroff's student, isn't he? He knows who you hang around with…He's just trying to get closer to Harry - get inside information on him - or get near enough to jinx him -" **

Nearly everyone in the room looked annoyed.

**Hermione looked as though Ron had slapped her. When she spoke, her voice quivered. **

"**For your information, he hasn't asked me one single thing about Harry, not one -" **

**Ron changed tack at the speed of light. **

"**Then he's hoping you'll help him find out what his egg means! I suppose you've been putting your heads together during those cozy little library sessions -" **

"**I'd never help him work out that egg!" said Hermione, looking outraged. "Never. How could you say something like that - I want Harry to win the tournament. Harry knows that, don't you, Harry?" **

"**You've got a funny way of showing it," sneered Ron. **

"You're not Harry, shut up." Sirius muttered, getting irritated.

"**This whole tournament's supposed to be about getting to know foreign wizards and making friends with them!" said Hermione hotly. **

"**No it isn't!" shouted Ron. "It's about winning!" **

"No, it's not." Remus said, his expression matching Sirius' now.

**People were starting to stare at them. **

"Can't really blame them." James said, smiling a little before his annoyed expression returned.

"**Ron," said Harry quietly, "I haven't got a problem with Hermione coming with Krum -" **

**But Ron ignored Harry too. **

"**Why don't you go and find Vicky, he'll be wondering where you are," said Ron. **

"**Don't call him Vicky!" **

**Hermione jumped to her feet and stormed off across the dance floor, disappearing into the crowd. Ron watched her go with a mixture of anger and satisfaction on his face. **

"**Are you going to ask me to dance at all?" Padma asked him. **

"**No," said Ron, still glaring after Hermione. **

"**Fine," snapped Padma, and she got up and went to join Parvati and the Beauxbatons boy, who conjured up one of his friends to join them so fast that Harry could have sworn he had zoomed him there by a Summoning Charm. **

"**Vare is Herm-own-ninny?" said a voice. **

**Krum had just arrived at their table clutching two butterbeers. **

"**No idea," said Ron mulishly, looking up at him. "Lost her, have you?" **

**Krum was looking surly again. **

"**Veil, if you see her, tell her I haff drinks," he said, and he slouched off. **

"**Made friends with Viktor Krum, have you, Ron?" **

**Percy had bustled over, **

"Go away." Sirius growled, already irritated enough without adding Percy.

**rubbing his hands together and looking extremely pompous. "Excellent! That's the whole point, you know - international magical cooperation!" **

**To Harry's displeasure, Percy now took Padma's vacated seat.**

"No...!" James moaned.

** The top table was now empty; Professor Dumbledore was dancing with Professor Sprout, Ludo Bagman with Professor McGonagall; Madame Maxime and Hagrid were cutting a wide path around the dance floor as they waltzed through the students, and Karkaroff was nowhere to be seen. When the next song ended, everybody applauded once more, and Harry saw Ludo Bagman kiss Professor McGonagall's hand**

James and Sirius snickered and Remus asked, "You're never going to let her forget that, are you?"

"Never." James and Sirius replied, grinning.

Sirius silently wished up a couple of pictures of this event and handed them to James, "We should give one to her when we're done."

** and make his way back through the crowds, at which point Fred and George accosted him. **

"**What do they think they're doing, annoying senior Ministry members?" Percy hissed, watching Fred and George suspiciously. "No respect…" **

**Ludo Bagman shook off Fred and George fairly quickly, however, and, spotting Harry, waved and came over to their table. **

"**I hope my brothers weren't bothering you, Mr. Bagman?" said Percy at once. **

"**What? Oh not at all, not at all!" said Bagman. "No, they were just telling me a bit more about those fake wands of theirs. Wondering if I could advise them on the marketing. I've promised to put them in touch with a couple of contacts of mine at Zonko's Joke Shop…" **

**Percy didn't look happy about this at all, and Harry was prepared to bet he would be rushing to tell Mrs. Weasley about this the moment he got home. **

"No, don't do that!" Sirius shouted, he liked the idea of a new joke shop, especially one run by someone so like himself.

**Apparently Fred and George's plans had grown even more ambitious lately, if they were hoping to sell to the public. Bagman opened his mouth to ask Harry something, but Percy diverted him. **

"**How do you feel the tournament's going, Mr. Bagman? Our department's quite satisfied - the hitch with the Goblet of Fire" - he glanced at Harry - "was a little unfortunate, of course, but it seems to have gone very smoothly since, don't you think?" **

"**Oh yes," Bagman said cheerfully, "it's all been enormous fun. **

"Not really." James muttered. Harry nodded in agreement.

**How's old Barty doing? Shame he couldn't come." **

"**Oh I'm sure Mr. Crouch will be up and about in no time," **

"Sadly." Sirius said.

**said Percy importantly, "but in the meantime, I'm more than willing to take up the slack. Of course, it's not all attending balls"-he laughed airily-"oh no, I've had to deal with all sorts of things that have cropped up in his absence - you heard Ali Bashir was caught smuggling a consignment of flying carpets into the country? And then we've been trying to persuade the Transylvanians to sign the International Ban on Dueling. I've got a meeting with their Head of Magical Cooperation in the new year -" **

"**Let's go for a walk," Ron muttered to Harry,**

"Good idea." James and Sirius said together.

** "get away from Percy…" **

**Pretending they wanted more drinks Harry and Ron left the table, edged around the dance floor, and slipped out into the entrance hall. The front doors stood open, and the fluttering fairy lights in the rose garden winked and twinkled as they went down the front steps, where they found themselves surrounded by bushes; winding, ornamental paths; and large stone statues. Harry could hear splashing water, which sounded like a fountain. Here and there, people were sitting on carved benches. He and Ron set off along one of the winding paths through the rosebushes, but they had gone only a short way when they heard an unpleasantly familiar voice. **

"…**don't see what there is to fuss about, Igor." **

"Karkaroff?" James asked.

To answer him, Hermione continued reading.

"**Severus,**

"Snape." Sirius muttered.

** you cannot pretend this isn't happening!" Karkaroffs voice sounded anxious and hushed, as though keen not to be overheard. "It's been getting clearer and clearer for months. I am becoming seriously concerned, I can't deny it-" **

"**Then flee," **

"What are the talking about?" James said curiously.

"Sirius said Karkaroff was a Death Eater, maybe it's the Dark Mark?" Remus suggested.

"That would mean Snape's a Death Eater too." Sirius pointed out.

"Or that he used to be." Remus added.

**said Snapes voice curtly. "Flee-I will make your excuses. I, however, am remaining at Hogwarts." **

**Snape and Karkaroff came around the corner. Snape had his wand out and was blasting rosebushes apart, his expression most ill-natured. Squeals issued from many of the bushes, and dark shapes emerged from them. **

"**Ten points from Ravenclaw, Fawcett!" Snape snarled as a girl ran past him. "And ten points from Hufflepuff too, Stebbins!" as a boy went rushing after her. "And what are you two doing?" he added, catching sight of Harry and Ron on the path ahead.**

"Certainly not what Fawcett and Stebbins were doing." James said with a smirk.

** Karkaroff, Harry saw, looked slightly discomposed to see them standing there. His hand went nervously to his goatee, and he began winding it around his finger. **

"**We're walking," Ron told Snape shortly. "Not against the law, is it?" **

"**Keep walking, then!" Snape snarled, and he brushed past them, his long black cloak billowing out behind him. Karkaroff hurried away after Snape. Harry and Ron continued down the path. **

"**What's got Karkaroff all worried?" Ron muttered. **

"**And since when have he and Snape been on first-name terms?"said Harry slowly. **

**They had reached a large stone reindeer now, over which they could see the sparkling jets of a tall fountain. The shadowy outlines of two enormous people were visible on a stone bench, watching the water in the moonlight. And then Harry heard Hagrid speak. **

"**Momen' I saw yeh, I knew," he was saying, in an oddly husky voice. **

**Harry and Ron froze. This didn't sound like the sort of scene they ought to walk in on, somehow…Harry looked around, back up the path, and saw Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies standing half-concealed in a rosebush nearby. He tapped Ron on the shoulder and jerked his head toward them, meaning that they could easily sneak off that way without being noticed (Fleur and Davies looked very busy to Harry), but Ron, eyes widening in horror at the sight of Fleur, shook his head vigorously,**

"Oh, come on Ron." Sirius muttered in exasperation.

** and pulled Harry deeper into the shadows behind the reindeer. **

"**What did you know, 'Agrid?" said Madame Maxime, a purr in her low voice. **

**Harry definitely didn't want to listen to this; he knew Hagrid would hate to be overheard in a situation like this (he certainly would have) - if it had been possible he would have put his fingers in his ears and hummed loudly, but that wasn't really an option. Instead he tried to interest himself in a beetle crawling along the stone reindeer's back, but the beetle just wasn't interesting enough to block out Hagrid's next words. **

"**I jus' knew…knew you were like me…Was it yer mother or yer father?" **

"What's he talking about?" Sirius asked.

"**I - I don't know what you mean, 'Agrid…" **

"**It was my mother," said Hagrid quietly. "She was one o' the las' ones in Britain. 'Course, I can' remember her too well…she left, see. When I was abou' three. She wasn' really the maternal sort. Well…it's not in their natures, is it?**

"His mother's a giant?" James suggested.

** Dunno what happened to her…might be dead fer all I know…" **

**Madame Maxime didn't say anything. And Harry, in spite of himself, took his eyes off the beetle and looked over the top of the reindeer's antlers, listening…He had never heard Hagrid talk about his childhood before. **

"**Me dad was broken-hearted when she wen'. Tiny little bloke, my dad was. By the time I was six I could lift him up an' put him on top o' the dresser if he annoyed me. Used ter make him laugh…" Hagrid's deep voice broke. Madame Maxime was listening, motionless, apparently staring at the silvery fountain. "Dad raised me…but he died, o' course, jus' after I started school. Sorta had ter make me own way after that. Dumbledore was a real help, mind. Very kind ter me, he was…" **

**Hagrid pulled out a large spotted silk handkerchief and blew his nose heavily. **

"**So…anyway…enough abou' me. What about you? Which side you got it on?" **

**But Madame Maxime had suddenly got to her feet. **

"**It is chilly," she said - but whatever the weather was doing, it was nowhere near as cold as her voice. "I think I will go in now." **

"**Eh?" said Hagrid blankly. "No, don go! I've - I've never met another one before!" **

"**Anuzzer what, precisely?" said Madame Maxime, her tone icy. **

"Oh no."

**Harry could have told Hagrid it was best not to answer; he stood there in the shadows gritting his teeth, hoping against hope he wouldn't - but it was no good. **

"**Another half-giant, o' course!" said Hagrid. **

"I always wondered why Hagrid was so big." Sirius said.

"'**Ow dare you!" shrieked Madame Maxime. Her voice exploded through the peaceful night air like a foghorn; behind him. Harry heard Fleur and Roger fall out of their rosebush. "I 'ave nevair been more insulted in my life! 'Alf-giant? Moi? I 'ave - I 'ave big bones!" **

Sirius and James snorted.

**She stormed away; great multicolored swarms of fairies rose into the air as she passed, angrily pushing aside bushes. Hagrid was still sitting on the bench, staring after her. It was much too dark to make out his expression. Then, after about a minute, he stood up and strode away, not back to the castle, but off out into the dark grounds in the direction of his cabin. **

"**C'mon," Harry said, very quietly to Ron. "Let's go…" **

**But Ron didn't move. **

"**What's up?" said Harry, looking at him. **

**Ron looked around at Harry, his expression very serious indeed. **

"**Did you know?" he whispered. "About Hagrid being half-giant?" **

"**No," Harry said, shrugging. "So what?" **

**He knew immediately, from the look Ron was giving him, that he was once again revealing his ignorance of the wizarding world. Brought up by the Dursleys, **

James and Sirius growled as Lily frowned.

**there were many things that wizards took for granted that were revelations to Harry, but these surprises had become fewer with each successive year. Now, however, he could tell that most wizards would not have said "So what?" upon finding out that one of their friends had a giantess for a mother. **

"**I'll explain inside," said Ron quietly, "c'mon…" **

**Fleur and Roger Davies had disappeared, probably into a more private clump of bushes. Harry and Ron returned to the Great Hall. Parvati and Padma were now sitting at a distant table with a whole crowd of Beauxbatons boys, and Hermione was once more dancing with Krum. Harry and Ron sat down at a table far removed from the dance floor. **

"**So?" Harry prompted Ron. "What's the problem with giants?" **

"**Well, they're…they're…" Ron struggled for words. "…not very nice," **

"So?" James asked.

"Hagrid's one of the nicest people we know." Sirius agreed.

"Sometimes a little _too _nice." Remus added, thinking of Hagrid's crushing hugs.

**he finished lamely. **

"**Who cares?" Harry said. "There's nothing wrong with Hagrid!" **

"**I know there isn't, but…blimey, no wonder he keeps it quiet," Ron said, shaking his head. "I always thought he'd got in the way of a bad Engorgement Charm when he was a kid or something. Didn't like to mention it…" **

"**But what's it matter if his mother was a giantess?" said Harry. **

"**Well…no one who knows him will care, 'cos they'll know he's not dangerous," **

Most of them had to laugh a little at the thought of Hagrid being dangerous.

**said Ron slowly. "But…Harry, they're just vicious, giants. It's like Hagrid said, it's in their natures, they're like trolls…they just like killing, everyone knows that. There aren't any left in Britain now, though." **

"**What happened to them?" **

"**Well, they were dying out anyway, and then loads got themselves killed by Aurors. There're supposed to be giants abroad, though…They hide out in mountains mostly…" **

"**I don't know who Maxime thinks she's kidding," Harry said, watching Madame Maxime sitting alone at the judges' table, looking very somber. "If Hagrid's half giant, she definitely is. Big bones…the only thing that's got bigger bones than her is a dinosaur." **

**Harry and Ron spent the rest of the ball discussing giants in their corner, neither of them having any inclination to dance. Harry tried not to watch Cho and Cedric too much; it gave him a strong desire to kick something. **

Sirius and Seth snickered.

**When the Weird Sisters finished playing at midnight, everyone gave them a last, loud round of applause and started to wend their way into the entrance hall. Many people were expressing the wish that the ball could have gone on longer, but Harry was perfectly happy to be going to bed; as far as he was concerned, the evening hadn't been much fun. **

**Out in the entrance hall, Harry and Ron saw Hermione saying good night to Krum before he went back to the Durmstrang ship. She gave Ron a very cold look and swept past him up the marble staircase without speaking. Harry and Ron followed her, but halfway up the staircase Harry heard someone calling him. **

"**Hey-Harry!" **

**It was Cedric Diggory. Harry could see Cho waiting for him in the entrance hall below. **

"**Yeah?" said Harry coldly as Cedric ran up the stairs toward him. **

**Cedric looked as though he didn't want to say whatever it was in front of Ron, who shrugged, looking bad-tempered, and continued to climb the stairs. **

"**Listen…" Cedric lowered his voice as Ron disappeared. "I owe you one for telling me about the dragons. You know that golden egg? Does yours wail when you open it?" **

"**Yeah," said Harry. **

"**Well…take a bath, okay?" **

"What?" James asked.

"**What?" **

"**Take a bath, and - er - take the egg with you, and - er - just mull things over in the hot water. It'll help you think…Trust me." **

"You have to put the egg in the water?" Remus suggested.

**Harry stared at him. **

"**Tell you what," Cedric said, "use the prefects' bathroom. Fourth door to the left of that statue of Boris the Bewildered on the fifth floor. Password's 'pine fresh.' Gotta go…want to say good night -" **

**He grinned at Harry again and hurried back down the stairs to Cho. **

**Harry walked back to Gryffindor Tower alone. That had been extremely strange advice. Why would a bath help him to work out what the wailing egg meant? Was Cedric pulling his leg? Was he trying to make Harry look like a fool, so Cho would like him even more by comparison? **

**The Fat Lady and her friend Vi were snoozing in the picture over the portrait hole. Harry had to yell "Fairy lights!" before he woke them up, and when he did, they were extremely irritated. He climbed into the common room and found Ron and Hermione having a blazing row. Standing ten feet apart, they were bellowing at each other, each scarlet in the face. **

"Merlin." Lily muttered.

"**Well, if you don't like it, you know what the solution is, don't you?" yelled Hermione; her hair was coming down out of its elegant bun now, and her face was screwed up in anger. **

"**Oh yeah?" Ron yelled back. "What's that?" **

"**Next time there's a ball, ask me before someone else does, and not as a last resort!" **

**Ron mouthed soundlessly like a goldfish out of water as Hermione turned on her heel and stormed up the girls' staircase to bed. Ron turned to look at Harry. **

"**Well," he sputtered, looking thunderstruck, "well - that just proves – completely missed the point -" **

**Harry didn't say anything. He liked being back on speaking terms with Ron too much to speak his mind right now - but he somehow thought that Hermione had gotten the point much better than Ron had. **

Most of them nodded in agreement as Ron frowned.

Hermione handed the book to Remus, who started to read but James.

"Whoa, hold on, Moony! I got to tell Sirius what he has to do." James said.

Sirius glanced at the Quidditch socks on James' feet and sighed, "What?"

**Author's Note: I don't know what James should make Sirius do, so feel free to suggest something. :) **


	25. Disturbing reviewsand Sirius

**Author's Note: Many thanks to sum96, (for coming up with what Sirius had to do) this chapter is for you!**

**Hmm...I don't think I've ever had a previously on this story, this may just be the first one. That's kinda cool. (It's night and I'm tired and I get kinda loopy when I'm tired, leave me alone. XP)**

**Oh and someone reviewed saying, "Make James make Sirius run up and down naked!****", which I found very disturbing....**

* * *

_Previously: _

_Hermione handed the book to Remus, who started to read but James. _**-hits forehead- Did I seriously leave out the 'interrupted him'? GOSH! Stupid me! I gotta go fix that...**

_"Whoa, hold on, Moony! I got to tell Sirius what he has to do." James said._

_Sirius glanced at the Quidditch socks on James' feet and sighed, "What?"_

_

* * *

_

James gave Sirius a frighteningly evil smile and got up, motioning for Sirius to follow.

They went into James' room and Sirius sat on the bed, looking worriedly at James.

"Take off your shirt....and you pants." James commanded.

_""WHAT?!_" Sirius shouted, appalled. **A/N Oh wow, I misspelled 'appalled' and one of the suggestions was 'appealed.' XD**

"You _are _wearing underwear, aren't you?" James questioned worriedly.

Sirius didn't say anything, "Merlin, Padfoot!"James shouted, backing away.

"I was kidding, Prongs!" Sirius said quickly.

-----------

"Wonder what they're up to." Lily drawled as she heard Sirius shout.

A few minutes later, Remus picked up the sound of a door opening with his heightened senses, "I think we're about to find out."

James came into the room first.

"Where's Padfoot?" Peter asked.

"He doesn't want to come out." James said and then shouted so Sirius could hear, "PADFOOT! YOU MIGHT AS WELL GET THIS OVER WITH SO WE CAN READ AGAIN!"

"I can hear you, Prongs! No need to shout." Sirius said, still out of view. They all heard I sigh and Sirius appeared, wearing nothing but boxers. Ridiculous looking boxers at that.

The boxers matched James' socks. They were striped green and red and had zooming brooms and fluttering snitches on them.

"I hate you." Sirius told James as the others started laughing.

Sirius shivered, "You do realize we're in the middle of freakin' winter, right?"

James laughed, "Aw, is Sirius cold?"

"YES!" Sirius shouted, "I hardly have any clothes on!"

"Here," James said, taking off his socks and duplicating them, tossing one pair to Sirius and putting the others back on, "they match."

Sirius glared at him, "If I wasn't so damn cold, I'd chuck these right at your big, fat head."

Lily gave him a glare for cussing and then laughed at the insult to James.

The others simply laughed as Sirius pulled the socks on.

James grinned evilly again, "Just wait, there's more."

Sirius groaned, "Do I _have _to do the other thing?"

"What is it?" Remus asked curiously.

"Yes, Pads, you _have _to do it and Moony, you'll see soon enough."

Sirius shivered again as James walked past him, hitting Sirius with air, "Can I at least have a blanket or something to drape over my shoulders?"

James sighed, "Surely it isn't that cold?"

"You strip down to your underwear and you'll see how cold it is." Sirius snapped.

"C'mon Prongs, at least give him a blanket." Remus said, "If he just drapes it over his shoulders you can still see the boxers."

James wished up a large, fuzzy, purple blanket with light pink bunnies on it.

Sirius noticed how fuzzy it was and, figuring it was warm, took it with out complaint.

"You do realize how horribly that clashes with your boxers, right?" James pointed out.

Sirius shrugged, "It's warm, that's all I care about."

"OK, c'mon everyone." James said, leading the way out of the Common Room.

Sirius groaned and followed, as well as the others.

James glanced at Ron and Harry, "You should be OK not using the cloak. We haven't met hardly anyone in the halls anyway, and everyone will probably have all their attention on Sirius."

Sirius scowled.

--------------------

"I really don't wanna do this." Sirius said, standing outside the Transfiguration classroom while looking at James and giving him puppy-dog eyes.

James laughed, "After seven years with you, those don't really work."

Sirius sighed, "Too bad. At least they still work on Remus and Peter."

Remus rolled his eyes.

"Alright, mate, we get it. Ready?" James said.

"Ready for wh-."

"Lily go!" James said.

"NO!" Sirius shouted, as Lily began to shout loudly, "I'll do anything, Prongs please!?"

"PROFESSOR MCGONAGALL!" Lily shouted, pounding on the door.

Everyone minus Sirius ran around the corner so they could see clearly but McGonagal wouldn't be able to see them.

Sirius whimpered as he heard footsteps coming from inside, _I'm going to kill Prongs when this is all over._

"What is-? Mr. Black?" McGonagal said, opening the door.

"Yeah."

"Where are you clothes?" She asked, looking shocked.

Sirius frowned, "I'm really sorry for this, Prongs made me," he said, and kissed her on the lips.

Sirius quickly pulled away, "Again, I'm _extremely _sorry."

McGonagal seemed to be in extreme shock after a moment of gaping at Sirius wordlessly she shouted, outraged, "DETENTION, MR. BLACK! AND PUT SOME CLOTHES ON!"

With that said, she turned and returned to her office, slamming the door.

Sirius scowled, _at least it was over now_, and walked around the corner to join the others. They were all laughing.

"I've never heard her shout that loud before!" James said, clutching his side.

Sirius spotted a camera in his hand, and asked, horrified, "You _didn't_ take our picture?"

"You do realize what _amazing _black mail materiel this is, don't you?"

Sirius whined, "Prongsie..."

"Can we just go and read now?" Sirius asked impatiently as his so called "friends" continued to laugh and a few students walked by, looking at him strangely.

"Alright." Remus said, turning to got to the Room of Requirement.

"But what if we want to parade Sirius around the school in his boxers?" James asked.

Remus gave James a look that was clearly meant to question his sanity, "Well, it's my turn to read and I'm going to read the chapter whether you're there or not."

James whined and followed Remus, the others close behind.

**A/N: I have the book part started so it should be up relatively soon, I just thought some of you'd like me to post sooner. I asked a couple of you and you wanted to go ahead and post, so here it is! Review, please?**


	26. Rita Skeeter's Scoop

* * *

_Previously: _

_Remus gave James a look that was clearly meant to question his sanity, "Well, it's my turn to read and I'm going to read the chapter whether you're there or not."_

_James whined and followed Remus, the others close behind.

* * *

_

Once they got back to the room and Remus had opened the book to the right page, they focused their attention on the book (which Sirius was grateful for).

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR **

**RITA SKEETER'S **

"Tragic death?" Sirius said hopefully, taking the blanket off his shoulders and covering up with it.

"Sadly, no." Remus said, reading on.

**SCOOP **

"Does that mean another annoying article?" James whined.

Harry, Ron and Hermione all nodded.

**Everybody got up late on Boxing Day. The Gryffindor common room was much quieter than it had been lately, many yawns punctuating the lazy conversations. Hermione's hair was bushy again; she confessed to Harry that she had used liberal amounts of Sleekeazy's Hair Potion on it for the ball, "but it's way too much bother to do every day," she said matter-of-factly, scratching a purring Crookshanks behind the ears. **

**Ron and Hermione seemed to have reached an unspoken agreement not to discuss their argument. They were being quite friendly to each other, though oddly formal. Ron and Harry wasted no time in telling Hermione about the conversation they had overheard between Madame Maxime and Hagrid, but Hermione didn't seem to find the news that Hagrid was a half-giant nearly as shocking as Ron did. **

"Figures." James muttered.

"**Well, I thought he must be," she said, shrugging. "I knew he couldn't be pure giant because they're about twenty feet tall. But honestly, all this hysteria about giants. They can't all be horrible…It's the same sort of prejudice that people have toward werewolves…**

James and Sirius gave Remus a pointed look and he sighed.

**It's just bigotry, isn't it?" **

**Ron looked as though he would have liked to reply scathingly, but perhaps he didn't want another row, because he contented himself with shaking his head disbelievingly while Hermione wasn't looking. **

Hermione gave Ron a glare.

**It was time now to think of the homework **

"No..." James moaned. Sirius was currently trying to stay quiet as not to draw attention to himself so he didn't comment.

**they had neglected during the first week of the holidays. Everybody seemed to be feeling rather flat now that Christmas was over - everybody except Harry, that is, who was starting (once again) to feel slightly nervous. **

**The trouble was that February the twenty-fourth looked a lot closer from this side of Christmas, **

James muttered something that sounded a lot like, "Told you so."

**and he still hadn't done anything about working out the clue inside the golden egg. **

Lily and Hermione frowned.

**He therefore started taking the egg out of his trunk every time he went up to the dormitory, opening it, and listening intently, hoping that this time it would make some sense. He strained to think what the sound reminded him of, apart from thirty musical saws, but he had never heard anything else like it. He closed the egg, shook it vigorously, and opened it again to see if the sound had changed, but it hadn't. He tried asking the egg questions, shouting over all the wailing, but nothing happened. He even threw the egg across the room - though he hadn't really expected that to help. **

Sirius bit his lip to keep from snickering as James, Ron and Harry all laughed.

**Harry had not forgotten the hint that Cedric had given him, but his less-than friendly feelings toward Cedric just now meant that he was keen not to take his help if he could avoid it.**

Lily looked annoyed.

** In any case, it seemed to him that if Cedric had really wanted to give Harry a hand, he would have been a lot more explicit. He, Harry, had told Cedric exactly what was coming in the first task - and Cedric's idea of a fair exchange had been to tell Harry to take a bath. **

James and Ron laughed; Sirius simply smiled, trying not to laugh himself.

**Well, he didn't need that sort of rubbishy help-not from someone who kept walking down corridors hand in hand with Cho, anyway. **

Harry blushed slightly, Ginny frowned, and Seth snickered.

**And so the first day of the new term arrived,**

James whined.

Lily and Remus noticed Sirius' recent absence and glanced at him curiously.

Sirius scowled in response, adjusting the bunny blanket.

** and Harry set off to lessons, weighed down with books, parchment, and quills as usual, but also with the lurking worry of the egg heavy in his stomach, as though he were carrying that around with him too. **

**Snow was still thick upon the grounds, and the greenhouse windows were covered in condensation so thick that they couldn't see out of them in Herbology. Nobody was looking forward to Care of Magical Creatures much in this weather, though as Ron said, the skrewts would probably warm them up nicely, either by chasing them, or blasting off so forcefully that Hagrid's cabin would catch fire. **

**When they arrived at Hagrid 's cabin, however, they found an elderly witch with closely cropped gray hair and a very prominent chin standing before his front door. **

"Where's Hagrid?" Peter asked.

"You might have known by now if you hadn't asked." Remus muttered, reading on.

"**Hurry up, now, the bell rang five minutes ago," she barked at them as they struggled toward her through the snow. **

"**Who're you?" said Ron, staring at her. "Wheres Hagrid?" **

"**My name is Professor Grubbly-Plank," she said briskly. "I am your temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher." **

"Where's Hagrid?" James said impatiently.

"**Where's Hagrid?" Harry repeated loudly. **

"**He is indisposed," said Professor Grubbly-Plank shortly. **

"What?" Peter asked.

"Sick." Remus explained.

**Soft and unpleasant laughter reached Harry's ears. He turned; Draco Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins were joining the class. All of them looked gleeful, and none of them looked surprised to see Professor Grubbly-Plank. **

"That means Hagrid _isn't _sick?" James suggested.

Sirius growled, "I have a feeling this has something to do with the chapter title."

James looked surprised when Sirius spoke, having not heard him in a while.

"**This way, please," said Professor Grubbly-Plank, and she strode off around the paddock where the Beauxbatons horses were shivering. Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed her, looking back over their shoulders at Hagrid's cabin. All the curtains were closed. Was Hagrid in there, alone and ill? **

"**What's wrong with Hagrid?" Harry said, hurrying to catch up with Professor Grubbly-Plank. **

"**Never you mind," she said as though she thought he was being nosy.**

"No, he wants to know because he _cares_." James muttered.

"**I do mind, though," said Harry hotly. "What's up with him?" **

**Professor Grubbly-Plank acted as though she couldn't hear him. **

Sirius muttered something under his breath.

Remus caught whatever it was and looked at Lily, "You might want to hex him."

"HEY!"Sirius yelped as Lily followed Remus' advice and hit him with a stinging hex, "Moony, you traitor!"

Remus simply smiled at him and went back to the book.

Sirius huffed angrily as the others laughed.

**She led them past the paddock where the huge Beauxbatons horses were standing, huddled against the cold, and toward a tree on the edge of the forest, where a large and beautiful unicorn was tethered. **

**Many of the girls "ooooohed!" at the sight of the unicorn."Oh it's so beautiful!" whispered Lavender Brown. "How did she get it?**

"Hagrid probably caught it!" James said.

** They're supposed to be really hard to catch!" **

**The unicorn was so brightly white it made the snow all around look gray. It was pawing the ground nervously with its golden hooves and throwing back its horned head. **

"**Boys keep back!" barked Professor Grubbly-Plank, throwing out an arm and catching Harry hard in the chest. "They prefer the woman's touch, unicorns. Girls to the front, and approach with care, come on, easy does it…" **

**She and the girls walked slowly forward toward the unicorn, leaving the boys standing near the paddock fence, watching. The moment Professor Grubbly-Plank was out of earshot. Harry turned to Ron. **

"**What d'you reckons wrong with him? You don't think a skrewt-?" **

"**Oh he hasn't been attacked, Potter, if that's what you're thinking," said Malfoy softly.**

Sirius growled and James glared at the book.

** "No, he's just too ashamed to show his big, ugly face." **

"**What d'you mean?" said Harry sharply. **

**Malfoy put his hand inside the pocket of his robes and pulled out a folded page of newsprint. **

"**There you go," he said. "Hate to break it to you. Potter…" **

"Yeah right." James muttered.

**He smirked as Harry snatched the page, unfolded it, and read it, with Ron, Seamus, Dean, and Neville looking over his shoulder. It was an article topped with a picture of Hagrid looking extremely shifty. **

_**DUMBLEDORE**_**'**_**S GIANT MISTAKE **_

"I already don't like this article." James growled.

_**Albus Dumbledore, eccentric Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, has never been afraid to make controversial staff appointments, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent.**_

"And what is _that _supposed to mean?" James asked.

"Besides Snape of course." Sirius added.

James nodded, "Yeah, besides Snape."

Lily glared at them both.

_** In September of this year, he hired Alastor **_**"**_**Mad-Eye**_**" **_**Moody, the notoriously jinx-happy ex-Auror, to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, a decision that caused many raised eyebrows at the Ministry of Magic, given Moody**_**'**_**s well-known habit of attacking anybody who makes a sudden movement in his presence.**_

James muttered something about 'attacking' and 'Skeeter' and 'show her'.

_** Mad-Eye Moody, however, looks responsible and kindly when set beside the part-human Dumbledore employs to teach Care of Magical Creatures. **_

The four Marauders and Lily all stared at the book.

"How can she say _Hagrid_ is more dangerous than Mad-Eye?" James said, surprised.

_**Rubeus Hagrid, who admits to being expelled from Hogwarts in his third year, **_

"For something he didn't do." Harry added.

_**has enjoyed the position of gamekeeper at the school ever since a job secured for him by Dumbledore. Last year, however, Hagrid used his mysterious influence over the headmaster to secure the additional post of Care of Magical Creatures teacher,**_

"Dumbledore _gave _him the job!"

Sirius nodded, "He would've got it even if he didn't have a 'mysterious influence' over Dumbledore!"

A couple of the glanced at Sirius and laughed.

Sirius scowled.

_** over the heads of many better-qualified candidates. **_

"Like?" James said, glaring at the book.

_**An alarmingly large and ferocious-looking man, Hagrid has been using his newfound authority to terrify the students **_

"What?!" Sirius yelped, "Hagrid, terrify students?"

James considered this for a moment, "Maybe the animals but not Hagrid, he isn't remotely scary once you know him."

Sirius nodded and agreement and shivered a bit as the blanket slipped, "When can I put my clothes back on?"

James considered this as well, "I'll think about it, but I would suggest you be a good doggy and behave yourself and it'll happen much faster."

Sirius frowned as the others laughed.

_**in his care with a succession of horrific creatures. While Dumbledore turns a blind eye, Hagrid has maimed several pupils**_

"Again, _Hagrid _hasn't maimed anyone and the creatures haven't seriously injured anyone." James said.

_** during a series of lessons that many admit to being **_**"**_**very frightening.**_**" "**_**I was attacked by a hippogriff,**_

"Shut up, Malfoy." Sirius growled, the effect getting lost somewhere in the fuzzy, bunny covered pink and purple blanket.

_** and my friend Vincent Crabbe got a bad bite off a flobberworm,**_**" **

"_Can_ flobberworms bite?" Peter asked, looking skeptical.

Remus shook his head, "They don't have any teeth."

_**says Draco Malfoy, a fourth-year student. **_**"**_**We all hate Hagrid,**_

Sirius growled, "All the Slytherians, perhaps."

_** but we**_**'**_**re just too scared to say anything.**_**" **

James had an extremely skeptical expression on his face, "Of _Hagrid_?"

_**Hagrid has no intention of ceasing his campaign of intimidation, however. In conversation with a Daily Prophet reporter last month, he admitted breeding creatures he has dubbed **_**"**_**Blast-Ended Skrewts,**_**" **_**highly dangerous crosses between manti-cores and fire-crabs. The creation of new breeds of magical creature is, of course, an activity usually closely observed by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. Hagrid, however, considers himself to be above such petty restrictions. **_

"No, he doesn't!"

"_**I was just having some fun,**_**" **_**he says, before hastily changing the subject. As if this were not enough, the Daily Prophet has now unearthed evidence that Hagrid is not - as he has always pretended - a pure-blood wizard.**_

"Hagrid never pretended to be a pure-blood wizard." Ginny said.

_** He is not, in fact, even pure human. **_

_**His mother, we can exclusively reveal, is none other than the giantess Fridwulfa, whose whereabouts are currently unknown. Bloodthirsty and brutal, **_

"Quite the opposite of Hagrid." Sirius said.

_**the giants brought themselves to the point of extinction by warring amongst themselves during the last century. The handful that remained joined the ranks of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and were responsible for some of the worst mass Muggle killings of his reign of terror. **_

_**While many of the giants who served He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named were killed by Aurors working against the Dark Side, Fridwulfa was not among them. It is possible she escaped to one of the giant communities still existing in foreign mountain ranges. If his antics during Care of Magical Creatures lessons are any guide, however, Fridwulfa**_**'**_**s son appears to have inherited her brutal nature. **_

_"What?"_ many of the room said in shock.

Sirius remembered his list and glanced at it. It was sitting on the edge of the table, underneath a bottle of Butterbear. He eyed it for a moment, not wanting to reach for it because it would cause his blanket to fall off.

"Prongs, hand me my list." Sirius said, pointing at it.

James looked at him, "Why can't you get it yourself?"

"Just do it, please?" Sirius begged.

"No."

Sirius huffed before remembering what room he was in. He simply wished for the list and it fell in his lap.

He wished up a quill as well and began scribbling furiously on the parchment.

_**In a bizarre twist, Hagrid is reputed to have developed a close friendship with the boy who brought around You-Know-Who**_**'**_**s fall from power**_

"That's because Harry's actually decent and has taken the time to get to know Hagrid!" Lily shouted.

_** - thereby driving Hagrid**_**'**_**s own mother, like the rest of You-Know-Who**_**'**_**s supporters, into hiding. Perhaps Harry Potter is unaware of the unpleasant truth about his large friend–but Albus Dumbledore surely has a duty to ensure that Harry Potter, along with his fellow students, is warned about the dangers of associating with part-giants.**_

"Hagrid isn't dangerous!" James said.

**Harry finished reading and looked up at Ron, whose mouth was hanging open. **

"**How did she find out?" he whispered. **

"That's a good question..." Remus said, looking thoughtful as he tried to figure this out.

**But that wasn't what was bothering Harry. **

"**What d'you mean, 'we all hate Hagrid'?" Harry spat at Malfoy. "What's this rubbish about him" - he pointed at Crabbe - "getting a bad bite off a flobberworm? They haven't even got teeth!" **

Remus smirked.

**Crabbe was sniggering, apparently very pleased with himself.**

"Idiot." James muttered.

"You just figured that out?" Sirius said, raising an eyebrow.

James gave him a warning look, "Hey, you better behave if you want put your clothes back on anytime soon."

Sirius whimpered.

"**Well, I think this should put an end to the oaf's teaching career," **

The Marauders and Lily all exchanged a worried glance.

**said Malfoy, his eyes glinting. **

Sirius growled again, "He's enjoying that way to much."

**"Half-giant…and there was me thinking he'd just swallowed a bottle of Skele-Gro when he was young…None of the mummies and daddies are going to like this at all…They'll be worried he'll eat their kids, ha, ha…" **

Sirius bit his lip to keep from giving the book a few choice words at the look Lily gave him.

"**You-" **

"**Are you paying attention over there?" **

"'Course not." James said.

**Professor Grubbly-Planks voice carried over to the boys; the girls were all clustered around the unicorn now, stroking it. Harry was so angry that the **_**Daily Prophet **_**article shook in his hands as he turned to stare unseeingly at the unicorn,**

"Looks like he got Lily's temper." Sirius said without thinking first.

Lily shot him a glare, "I'm not sure what exactly to do to you, you already look ridiculous."

Sirius scowled and watched in horror as James lent over and suggested something.

"PRONGS!" Sirius shouted, as Lily turned his skin a dark, Slytherin green.

James was to busy laughing with the others to say anything. Sirius growled and, after a few minutes with everyone laughing at him, got annoyed and went to sent by Remus.

Remus glanced at him curiously, barely hiding a laugh as he saw the green, boxer-and-bunny-blanket-clad Sirius.

Sirius whined, "Read, Moony, please!"

"For once, you _don't _want all the attention on you?" Remus replied.

"I'm not _James_." Sirius scoffed.

"Hey!" James shouted.

Remus laughed before picking up the book and reading loudly over everyone's laughter until they were quieter.

"Thanks Moony!" Sirius said happily, going back to his own chair.

Remus shook his head in an amused fashion before returning to the book.

** whose many magical properties Professor Grubbly-Plank was now enumerating in a loud voice, so that the boys could hear too. **

"**I hope she stays, that woman!" **

"I don't." James growled.

**said Parvati Patil when the lesson had ended and they were all heading back to the castle for lunch. "That's more what I thought Care of Magical Creatures would be like…proper creatures like unicorns, not monsters…"**

"What does she expect? Not all the creatures in the Wizarding World are like unicorns." Remus said reasonably.

"**What about Hagrid?" Harry said angrily as they went up the steps. **

"**What about him?" said Parvati in a hard voice. "He can still be gamekeeper, can't he?" **

"Yeah, but he's a teacher too." Sirius said, glaring at the book.

**Parvati had been very cool toward Harry since the ball. He supposed that he ought to have paid her a bit more attention, but she seemed to have had a good time all the same. She was certainly telling anybody who would listen that she had made arrangements to meet the boy from Beauxbatons in Hogsmeade on the next weekend trip. **

"**That was a really good lesson," said Hermione as they entered the Great Hall. "I didn't know half the things Professor Grubbly-Plank told us about uni-" **

"Not helping Hermione." Lily muttered.

"**Look at this!" Harry snarled, and he shoved the **_**Daily Prophet **_**article under Hermione's nose. **

**Hermione's mouth fell open as she read. Her reaction was exactly the same as Ron's. **

"**How did that horrible Skeeter woman find out? You don't think Hagrid told her?" **

"'Course not."

"**No," said Harry, leading the way over to the Gryffindor table and throwing himself into a chair, furious. "He never even told us, did he? I reckon she was so mad he wouldn't give her loads of horrible stuff about me, she went ferreting around to get him back." **

"**Maybe she heard him telling Madame Maxime at the ball," said Hermione quietly.**

"Harry and Ron would've seen her." Remus pointed out.

"**We'd have seen her in the garden!" said Ron. "Anyway, she's not supposed to come into school anymore, Hagrid said Dumbledore banned her…" **

James and Sirius both cheered their approval.

"**Maybe she's got an Invisibility Cloak," **

"Not likely." James said.

**said Harry, ladling chicken casserole onto his plate and splashing it everywhere in his anger. "Sort of thing she'd do, isn't it, hide in bushes listening to people." **

"**Like you and Ron did, you mean," said Hermione. **

"They weren't _trying _to!" James said in defense.

"**We weren't trying to hear him!" said Ron indignantly. "We didn't have any choice! The stupid prat, talking about his giantess mother where anyone could have heard him!" **

"That's a bit harsh." Sirius said.

"**We've got to go and see him," said Harry. "This evening, after Divination. Tell him we want him back…you do want him back?"he shot at Hermione. **

"**I - well, I'm not going to pretend it didn't make a nice change, having a proper Care of Magical Creatures lesson for once**

"Hermione!" James, Sirius, and Ginny all shouted.

Hermione looked startled.

** - but I do want Hagrid back, of course I do!" Hermione added hastily, **

"Good."

**quailing under Harry's furious stare. **

**So that evening after dinner, the three of them left the castle once more and went down through the frozen grounds to Hagrid's cabin. They knocked, and Fang's booming barks answered. **

"**Hagrid, it's us!" Harry shouted, pounding on the door. "Open up!" **

**Hagrid didn't answer. They could hear Fang scratching at the door, whining, but it didn't open. They hammered on it for ten more minutes; Ron even went and banged on one of the windows, but there was no response. **

"He must really be upset." James said.

"**What's he avoiding us for?" Hermione said when they had finally given up and were walking back to the school. "He surely doesn't think we'd care about him being half-giant?" **

**But it seemed that Hagrid did care. They didn't see a sign of him all week. He didn't appear at the staff table at mealtimes, they didn't see him going about his gamekeeper duties on the grounds, and Professor Grubbly-Plank continued to take the Care of Magical Creatures classes.**

"Merlin, he can't hide in his cabin forever." Sirius said reasonably.

** Malfoy was gloating at every possible opportunity. **

Sirius sighed and reached for his list, glad it was closer to him than before.

"**Missing your half-breed pal?" he kept whispering **

"Don't take it out on the parchment, mate." James said, trying not to smile as Sirius ripped his parchment.

"I'm not _trying _to! It's just, if you haven't noticed, I'm wearing nothing but _boxers_ and if I tried to bury down on the table I'd most likely freeze." Sirius retorted, glaring at James.

**to Harry whenever there was a teacher around, so that he was safe from Harry's retaliation.**

"Cowardly git."

** "Missing the elephantman?" **

**There was a Hogsmeade visit halfway through January. Hermione was very surprised that Harry was going to go. **

"**I just thought you'd want to take advantage of the common room being quiet," she said. "Really get to work on that egg." **

"Yeah, right." Lily said sadly.

"**Oh I - I reckon I've got a pretty good idea what it's about now," Harry lied. **

"**Have you really?" said Hermione, looking impressed. "Well done!" **

Lily glared at Harry and he frowned, regardless of the fact this event happened years ago.

**Harry's insides gave a guilty squirm, but he ignored them. He still had five weeks to work out that egg clue, after all, and that was ages**

"No, it's not." Hermione muttered.

**…whereas if he went into Hogsmeade, he might run into Hagrid, and get a chance to persuade him to come back. **

"Oh."

**He, Ron, and Hermione left the castle together on Saturday and set off through the cold, wet grounds toward the gates. As they passed the Durmstrang ship moored in the lake, they saw Viktor Krum **

Ron frowned, causing Harry and Ginny to laugh and Hermione to roll her eyes.

**emerge onto the deck, dressed in nothing but swimming trunks. He was very skinny indeed, but apparently a lot tougher than he looked, because he climbed up onto the side of the ship, stretched out his arms, and dived, right into the lake. **

"Is he mad! It's what, January?!" James said.

Remus nodded, "I suppose it's a lot colder wherever Durmstrang is."

Sirius shuddered at the thought of being boxer-clad as he was now in Durmstrang.

"**He's mad!" said Harry, staring at Krums dark head as it bobbed out into the middle of the lake. "It must be freezing, it's January!" **

"**It's a lot colder where he comes from," said Hermione. **

"That was weird..." James and Remus both said.

"That was weirder." Sirius added.

**"I suppose it feels quite warm to him." **

"**Yeah, but there's still the giant squid," said Ron. He didn't sound anxious – if anything, he sounded hopeful. **

Hermione rolled her eyes again.

**Hermione noticed his tone of voice and frowned. **

"**He's really nice, you know," she said. "He's not at all like you'd think, coming from Durmstrang. He likes it much better here, he told me." **

"At least he's better than Fluer." Sirius said.

**Ron said nothing. He hadn't mentioned Viktor Krum since the ball, but Harry had found a miniature arm under his bed on Boxing Day, which had looked very much as though it had been snapped off a small model figure wearing Bulgarian Quidditch robes. **

Seth and Sirius snickered.

**Harry kept his eyes skinned for a sign of Hagrid all the way down the slushy High Street, and suggested a visit to the Three Broomsticks once he had ascertained that Hagrid was not in any of the shops. **

"If he isn't going to come out of his cabin for his friends, I don't suppose he'd go to Hogsmeade either." Lily pointed out.

**The pub was as crowded as ever, but one quick look around at all the tables told Harry that Hagrid wasn't there. Heart sinking, he went up to the bar with Ron and Hermione, ordered three butterbeers from Madam Rosmerta, and thought gloomily that he might just as well have stayed behind and listened to the egg wailing after all. **

"**Doesn't he ever go into the office?" Hermione whispered suddenly.**

"Who?" James asked.

Remus gave him the now-common _let me read _look.

** "Look!" **

**She pointed into the mirror behind the bar, and Harry saw Ludo Bagman reflected there, sitting in a shadowy corner with a bunch of goblins. Bagman was talking very fast in a low voice to the goblins, all of whom had their arms crossed and were looking rather menacing. **

**It was indeed odd. Harry thought, that Bagman was here at the Three Broomsticks on a weekend when there was no Triwizard event, and therefore no judging to be done. He watched Bagman in the mirror. He was looking strained again, quite as strained as he had that night in the forest before the Dark Mark had appeared. But just then Bagman glanced over at the bar, saw Harry,**

"Oh no." Ginny muttered.

** and stood up. **

"**In a moment, in a moment!" Harry heard him say brusquely to the goblins, and Bagman hurried through the pub toward Harry, his boyish grin back in place. **

"**Harry!" he said. "How are you? Been hoping to run into you! Everything going all right?" **

"**Fine, thanks," said Harry. **

"**Wonder if I could have a quick, private word, Harry?" said Bagman eagerly. **

"**You couldn't give us a moment, you two, could you?" **

"**Er okay," said Ron, and he and Hermione went off to find a table. **

**Bagman led Harry along the bar to the end furthest from Madam Rosmerta. **

"**Well, I just thought I'd congratulate you again on your splendid performance against that Horntail, Harry," said Bagman. "Really superb." **

"**Thanks," said Harry, but he knew this couldn't be all that Bagman wanted to say, because he could have congratulated Harry in front of Ron and Hermione. **

**Bagman didn't seem in any particular rush to spill the beans, though. Harry saw him glance into the mirror over the bar at the goblins, who were all watching him and Harry in silence through their dark, slanting eyes. **

"**Absolute nightmare," said Bagman to Harry in an undertone, noticing Harry watching the goblins too. "Their English isn't too good…it's like being back with all the Bulgarians at the Quidditch World Cup…but at least they used sign language another human could recognize. This lot keep gabbling in Gobbledegook…and I only know one word of Gobbledegook. Bladvak. It means 'pickax.' **

"That's _real _useful." Remus muttered sarcastically before continuing.

**I don't like to use it in case they think I'm threatening them." **

**He gave a short, booming laugh. **

"**What do they want?" Harry said, noticing how the goblins were still watching Bagman very closely. **

"**Er - well…" said Bagman, looking suddenly nervous. "They…er…they're looking for Barty Crouch." **

"**Why are they looking for him here?" said Harry. "He's at the Ministry in London, isn't he?" **

"**Er…as a matter of fact, I've no idea where he is," said Bagman. "He's sort of…stopped coming to work. Been absent for a couple of weeks now. Young Percy, his assistant, says he's ill. Apparently he's just been sending instructions in by owl. But would you mind not mentioning that to anyone Harry? **

"Why not?" Peter asked.

"Skeeter?" Lily guessed; Remus nodded.

**Because Rita Skeeter's still poking around everywhere she can, and I'm willing to bet she'd work up Bartys illness into something sinister. Probably say he's gone missing like Bertha Jorkins." **

"**Have you heard anything about Bertha Jorkins?" Harry asked. **

"**No," said Bagman, looking strained again. "I've got people looking, of course…" (About time, thought Harry)**

"Too late." Sirius said, recalling the first chapter.

** "and it's all very strange. She definitely arrived in Albania, because she met her second cousin there. And then she left the cousin's house to go south and see an aunt…and she seems to have vanished without trace en route. Blowed if I can see where she's got to…she doesn't seem the type to elope, for instance…but still…What are we doing, talking about goblins and Bertha Jorkins? I really wanted to ask you" - he lowered his voice - "how are you getting on with your golden egg?" **

"**Er…not bad," Harry said untruthfully. **

**Bagman seemed to know he wasn't being honest. **

"**Listen, Harry," he said (still in a very low voice), "I feel very bad about all this…you were thrown into this tournament, you didn't volunteer for it…and if…" (his voice was so quiet now, Harry had to lean closer to listen) "if I can help at all…**

"Harry doesn't need your help, Bagman." James said, all star-struckness lost.

**a prod in the right direction…I've taken a liking to you…the way you got past that dragon…well, just say the word." **

**Harry stared up into Bagman's round, rosy face and his wide, baby-blue eyes. **

"**We're supposed to work out the clues alone, aren't we?" he said, careful to keep his voice casual and not sound as though he was accusing the head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports of breaking the rules. **

"**Well…well, yes," said Bagman impatiently, "but - come on. Harry - we all want a Hogwarts victory, don't we?" **

"I highly doubt he's offered _Cedric _any help." Lily said.

"**Have you offered Cedric help?" Harry said. **

**The smallest of frowns creased Bagman's smooth face. "No, I haven't," he said. "I - well, like I say, I've taken a liking to you. Just thought I'd offer…" **

"**Well, thanks," said Harry, "but I think I'm nearly there with the egg…couple more days should crack it." **

**He wasn't entirely sure why he was refusing Bagman's help, except that Bagman was almost a stranger to him, and accepting his assistance would feel somehow much more like cheating than asking advice from Ron, Hermione, or Sirius. **

**Bagman looked almost affronted, but couldn't say much more as Fred and George turned up at that point. **

"**Hello, Mr. Bagman," said Fred brightly. "Can we buy you a drink?" **

"**Er…no," said Bagman, with a last disappointed glance at Harry, "no, thank you, boys…" **

**Fred and George looked quite as disappointed as Bagman, who was surveying Harry as though he had let him down badly.**

"Merlin."

"**Well, I must dash," he said. "Nice seeing you all. Good luck, Harry." **

**He hurried out of the pub. The goblins all slid off their chairs and exited after him. Harry went to rejoin Ron and Hermione. **

"**What did he want?" Ron said, the moment Harry had sat down. **

"**He offered to help me with the golden egg," said Harry. **

"**He shouldn't be doing that!" said Hermione, looking very shocked. "He's one of the judges! And anyway, you've already worked it out - haven't you?" **

"**Er…nearly," said Harry. **

"**Well, I don't think Dumbledore would like it if he knew Bagman was trying to persuade you to cheat!" said Hermione, still looking deeply disapproving. "I hope he's trying to help Cedric as much!" **

"**He's not, I asked," said Harry. **

"**Who cares if Diggorys getting help?" said Ron.**

Lily looked disapproving.

** Harry privately agreed.**

Lily looked even _more _disapproving.

"**Those goblins didn't look very friendly," said Hermione, sipping her butterbeer. "What were they doing here?" **

"**Looking for Crouch, according to Bagman," said Harry. "He's still ill. Hasn't been into work." **

"**Maybe Percys poisoning him," said Ron. "Probably thinks if Crouch snuffs it he'll be made head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation." **

James and Sirius laughed.

**Hermione gave Ron a don't-joke-about-things-like-that look,**

James muttered something that sounded a lot like, 'killjoy' and caused Lily to glare at him.

** and said, "Funny, goblins looking for Mr. Crouch…They'd normally deal with the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures." **

"**Crouch can speak loads of different languages, though," said Harry. "Maybe they need an interpreter." **

"**Worrying about poor 'ickle goblins, now, are you?" Ron asked Hermione. "Thinking of starting up S.P.U.G. or something? Society for the Protection of Ugly Goblins?" **

Sirius and James laughed once again.

"**Ha, ha, ha," said Hermione sarcastically. "Goblins don't need protection. Haven't you been listening to what Professor Binns has been telling us about goblin rebellions?" **

"Who does?" James asked.

Sirius nodded in agreement, "Even Moony has a hard time focussing on them and _that's _saying something."

Remus rolled his eyes, "At least I pay enough attention to take notes, unlike some people that are to busy _passing _note."

James and Sirius smiled innocently.

"**No," said Harry and Ron together. **

"**Well, they're quite capable of dealing with wizards," said Hermione, taking another sip of butterbeer. "They're very clever. They're not like house-elves, who never stick up for themselves." **

"**Uh-oh," said Ron, staring at the door. **

**Rita Skeeter had just entered. **

"Go away...." Sirius moaned.

**She was wearing banana-yellow robes today; her long nails were painted shocking pink, and she was accompanied by her paunchy photographer. She bought drinks, and she and the photographer made their way through the crowds to a table nearby. Harry, Ron, and Hermione glaring at her as she approached. She was talking fast and looking very satisfied about something. **

"…**didn't seem very keen to talk to us, did he, Bozo?**

"Bozo." James and Sirius repeated, laughing.

** Now, why would that be, do you think? And what's he doing with a pack of goblins in town anyway? **

"They're talking about _Bagman_?"

**Showing them the sights…what nonsense…he was always a bad liar. Reckon something's up? Think we should do a bit of digging? 'Disgraced Ex-Head of Magical Games and Sports, Ludo Bagman…' Snappy start to a sentence, Bozo - we just need to find a story to fit it -" **

"**Trying to ruin someone else's life?" said Harry loudly.**

James nodded approvingly and Sirius smirked.

**A few people looked around. Rita Skeeter's eyes widened behind her jeweled spectacles as she saw who had spoken. **

"**Harry!" she said, beaming. "How lovely! Why don't you come and join-?" **

"He-" Sirius began, before noticing Lily's look, "Heck no."

"**I wouldn't come near you with a ten-foot broomstick," said Harry furiously. "What did you do that to Hagrid for, eh?" **

**Rita Skeeter raised her heavily penciled eyebrows. **

"**Our readers have a right to the truth, Harry. I am merely doing my-" **

"**Who cares if he's half-giant?" Harry shouted. "There's nothing wrong with him!" **

"It's great that Harry's sticking up for Hagrid and all but he really should be quiet." Lily said.

James nodded, "Just giving Skeeter all the more opportunity to twist his words."

**The whole pub had gone very quiet. Madam Rosmerta was staring over from behind the bar, apparently oblivious to the fact that the flagon she was filling with mead was overflowing. **

**Rita Skeeters smile flickered very slightly, but she hitched it back almost at once; she snapped open her crocodile-skin handbag, pulled out her Quick-Quotes Quill, and said, "How about giving me an interview about the Hagrid you know.**

"How dumb _is_ Skeeter?" James said, a little shocked.

** Harry? The man behind the muscles? Your unlikely friendship and the reasons behind it. Would you call him a father substitute?" **

**Hermione stood up very abruptly, her butterbeer clutched in her hand as though it were a grenade. **

"**You horrible woman," she said, through gritted teeth, "you don't care, do you, anything for a story, and anyone will do, wont they? Even Ludo Bagman-" **

"**Sit down, you silly little girl, and don't talk about things you don't understand,"**

"She could say the same about you." Sirius growled, looking around for his momentarily forgotten list.

** said Rita Skeeter coldly, her eyes hardening as they fell on Hermione. "I know things about Ludo Bagman that would make your hair curl…not that it needs it -" she added, eyeing Hermione's bushy hair. **

"**Let's go," said Hermione, "c'mon. Harry - Ron…" **

**They left; many people were staring at them as they went. Harry glanced back as they reached the door. Rita Skeeter's Quick-Quotes Quill was out; it was zooming backward and forward over a piece of parchment on the table. **

"**She'll be after you next, Hermione," said Ron in a low and worried voice as they walked quickly back up the street. **

"**Let her try!" said Hermione defiantly; she was shaking with rage. "I'll show her! Silly little girl, am I? Oh, I'll get her back for this. First Harry, then Hagrid…" **

"**You don't want to go upsetting Rita Skeeter," said Ron nervously. "I'm serious, Hermione, she'll dig up something on you -" **

"**My parents don't read the **_**Daily Prophet**_**. She can't scare me into hiding!" said Hermione, now striding along so fast that it was all Harry and Ron could do to keep up with her. The last time Harry had seen Hermione in a rage like this, she had hit Draco Malfoy around the face. "And Hagrid isn't hiding anymore! He should never have let that excuse for a human being upset him! Come on!" **

"Here, here!"

**Breaking into a run, she led them all the way back up the road, through the gates flanked by winged boars, and up through the grounds to Hagrid's cabin. The curtains were still drawn, and they could hear Fang barking as they approached. **

"**Hagrid!" Hermione shouted, pounding on his front door. "Hagrid, that's enough! We know you're in there! Nobody cares if your mum was a giantess, Hagrid! You can't let that foul Skeeter woman do this to you! Hagrid, get out here, you're just being -" **

**The door opened. Hermione said, "About t-!" and then stopped, very suddenly, because she had found herself face-to-face, not with Hagrid, but with Albus Dumbledore.**

"Huh?"

"**Good afternoon," he said pleasantly, smiling down at them.**

"Dumbledore's hardly ever _not _happy."

"**We-er-we wanted to see Hagrid," said Hermione in a rather small voice. **

"**Yes, I surmised as much," said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling. "Why don't you come in?" **

"**Oh…um…okay," said Hermione. **

**She, Ron, and Harry went into the cabin; Fang launched himself upon Harry the moment he entered, barking madly and trying to lick his ears. Harry fended off Fang and looked around. **

**Hagrid was sitting at his table, where there were two large mugs of tea. He looked a real mess. His face was blotchy, his eyes swollen, and he had gone to the other extreme where his hair was concerned; far from trying to make it behave, it now looked like a wig of tangled wire. **

"**Hi, Hagrid," said Harry. **

**Hagrid looked up. **

"'**Lo," he said in a very hoarse voice. **

"**More tea, I think," said Dumbledore, closing the door behind Harry, Ron, and Hermione, drawing out his wand, and twiddling it; a revolving tea tray appeared in midair along with a plate of cakes. Dumbledore magicked the tray onto the table, and everybody sat down. There was a slight pause, and then Dumbledore said, "Did you by any chance hear what Miss Granger was shouting, Hagrid?" **

**Hermione went slightly pink, but Dumbledore smiled at her and continued, "Hermione, Harry, and Ron still seem to want to know you, judging by the way they were attempting to break down the door." **

Sirius and James laughed a little again at this and Lily said, "Of course they want to see him!"

"**Of course we still want to know you!" Harry said, staring at Hagrid. "You don't think anything that Skeeter cow-sorry, Professor," he added quickly, looking at Dumbledore. **

"**I have gone temporarily deaf and haven't any idea what you said. Harry,"**

They all laughed at this and James and Sirius cheered.

** said Dumbledore, twiddling his thumbs and staring at the ceiling. **

"**Er-right," said Harry sheepishly. "I just meant-Hagrid, how could you think we'd care what that-woman-wrote about you?" **

**Two fat tears leaked out of Hagrid's beetle-black eyes and fell slowly into his tangled beard. **

"**Living proof of what I've been telling you, Hagrid," said Dumbledore, still looking carefully up at the ceiling. "I have shown you the letters from the countless parents who remember you from their own days here, telling me in no uncertain terms that if I sacked you, they would have something to say about it -" **

"**Not all of 'em," said Hagrid hoarsely. "Not all of 'em wan me ter stay."**

"So? Most of them probably do!" James shouted.

"Hogwart's wouldn't be the same without Hagrid!" Sirius agreed.

Everyone in the room (minus Seth) nodded in agreement.

"**Really, Hagrid, if you are holding out for universal popularity, I'm afraid you will be in this cabin for a very long time," said Dumbledore, now peering sternly over his half-moon spectacles. "Not a week has passed since I became headmaster of this school when I haven't had at least one owl complaining about the way I run it. But what should I do? Barricade myself in my study and refuse to talk to anybody?" **

"**Yeh - yeh're not half-giant!" said Hagrid croakily. **

"Nobody's perfect Hagrid."

"**Hagrid, look what I've got for relatives!" Harry said furiously. "Look at the Dursleys!" **

"Exactly!"

"**An excellent point," said Professor Dumbledore. "My own brother, Aberforth, was prosecuted for practicing inappropriate charms on a goat. It was all over the papers, but did Aberforth hide? No, he did not! He held his head high and went about his business as usual! Of course, I'm not entirely sure he can read, so that may not have been bravery…" **

James and Sirius once again got a good laugh out of this.

"**Come back and teach, Hagrid," said Hermione quietly, "please come back, we really miss you." **

**Hagrid gulped. More tears leaked out down his cheeks and into his tangled beard. Dumbledore stood up. "I refuse to accept your resignation, Hagrid, and I expect you back at work on Monday," he said. "You will join me for breakfast at eight-thirty in the Great Hall. No excuses. Good afternoon to you all." **

**Dumbledore left the cabin, pausing only to scratch Fangs ears. When the door had shut behind him, Hagrid began to sob into his dustbin-lid-sized hands. Hermione kept patting his arm, and at last, Hagrid looked up, his eyes very red indeed, and said, "Great man, Dumbledore…great man…" **

"**Yeah, he is," said Ron. "Can I have one of these cakes, Hagrid?" **

"**Help yerself," said Hagrid, wiping his eyes on the back of his hand. "Ar, he's righ', o' course - yeh're all righ'…I bin stupid…my ol' dad woulda bin ashamed o' the way I've bin behavin'…" **

**More tears leaked out, but he wiped them away more forcefully, and said, "Never shown you a picture of my old dad, have I? Here…" **

**Hagrid got up, went over to his dresser, opened a drawer, and pulled out a picture of a short wizard with Hagrid's crinkled black eyes, beaming as he sat on top of Hagrid's shoulder. Hagrid was a good seven or eight feet tall, judging by the apple tree beside him, but his face was beardless, young, round, and smooth - he looked hardly older than eleven. **

"Whoa."

"**Tha was taken jus' after I got inter Hogwarts," Hagrid croaked. "Dad was dead chuffed…thought I migh' not be a wizard, see, 'cos me mum…well, anyway. 'Course, I never was great shakes at magic, really…but at least he never saw me expelled. Died, see, in me second year… **

"**Dumbledore was the one who stuck up for me after Dad went. Got me the gamekeeper job…trusts people, he does. Gives 'em second chances…tha's what sets him apar' from other heads, see. He'll accept anyone at Hogwarts, s'long as they've got the talent. Knows people can turn out okay even if their families weren'…well…all tha' respectable. But some don understand that. There's some who'd always hold it against yeh…there's some who'd even pretend they just had big bones rather than stand up an' say - I am what I am, an' I'm not ashamed. 'Never be ashamed,' my ol' dad used ter say, 'there's some who'll hold it against you, but they're not worth botherin' with.' **

"Exactly."

**An' he was right. I've bin an idiot. I'm not botherin' with her no more, I promise yeh that. Big bones…I'll give her big bones." **

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another nervously; Harry would rather have taken fifty Blast-Ended Skrewts for a walk than admit to Hagrid that he had overheard him talking to Madame Maxime, but Hagrid was still talking, apparently unaware that he had said anything odd. **

"**Yeh know wha, Harry?" he said, looking up from the photograph of his father, his eyes very bright, "when I firs' met you, you reminded me o' me a bit. Mum an' Dad gone, **

James and Lily exchanged a sad glance.

**an' you was feelin' like yeh wouldn' fit in at Hogwarts, remember? Not sure yeh were really up to it…an' now look at yeh, Harry! School champion!" **

**He looked at Harry for a moment and then said, very seriously, "Yeh know what I'd love Harry? I'd love yeh ter win, I really would. It'd show 'em all…yeh don' have ter be pure-blood ter do it. Yeh don have ter be ashamed of what yeh are. It'd show 'em Dumbledore's the one who's got it righ', lettin' anyone in as long as they can do magic. How you doin' with that egg, Harry?" **

"Wonderfully." Lily said sarcastically.

"**Great," said Harry. "Really great." **

**Hagrid's miserable face broke into a wide, watery smile. **

"**Tha's my boy…you show 'em, Harry, you show 'em. Beat 'em all." **

**Lying to Hagrid wasn't quite like lying to anyone else. Harry went back to the castle later that afternoon with Ron and Hermione, unable to banish the image of the happy expression on Hagrid's whiskery face as he had imagined Harry winning the tournament. The incomprehensible egg weighed more heavily than ever on Harry's conscience that evening, and by the time he had got into bed, he had made up his mind - it was time to shelve his pride and see if Cedric's hint was worth anything. **

Remus passed the book to Sirius.

**A/N: **

**I didn't spell-check this, I was in a hurry of you'll look below you'll see why...and it's 11:10 at night here. **

**If you read Marauders, I'm really sorry! I was going to write the next chapter for that today too but I didn't have time! And I won't be on the computer tomorrow (I'll be at my mom's) and I'll be in Florida Thursday-Sunday and Sunday I'm going to my mom's again (no idea when I'll be able to get back on the computer), so it might be a while before Marauders get updated, I'm sorry again. :( I may just write the chapter on the LONG drive down to Florida so I just have to type it up. I dunno. Anyway, I hope I have lots of reviews come...whenever I get back. :/**


	27. The Egg and the Eye

**CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE **

**THE EGG**

"Does that mean your _finally _going to figure it out?" Lily said.

Harry laughed.

** AND THE EYE **

"Mad-Eye Moody?" James asked in confusion.

**Harry had no idea how long a bath he would need to work out the secret of the golden egg, he decided to do it at night, when he would be able to take as much time as he wanted. Reluctant though he was to accept more favors from Cedric, he also decided to use the prefects' bathroom; far fewer people were allowed in there, so it was much less likely that he would be disturbed. **

**Harry planned his excursion carefully, because he had been caught out of bed and out-of-bounds by Filch the caretaker in the middle of the night once before,**

Sirius looked shocked, "Only once?"

"We've been caught loads of times!" James added.

"Though once James got the cloak it happened a little less often." Remus said.

"Not that much less." Sirius growled, "Stupid Mrs. Norris."

** and had no desire to repeat the experience. The Invisibility Cloak would, of course, be essential, and as an added precaution, Harry thought he would take the Marauders Map, which, next to the cloak, was the most useful aid to rule-breaking Harry owned. **

All four Marauders grinned proudly.

**The map showed the whole of Hogwarts,**

"Yeah, yeah, we know this Pads, move along." James muttered.

Sirius rolled his eyes and continued.

** including its many shortcuts and secret passageways and, most important of all, it revealed the people inside the castle as minuscule, labeled dots, moving around the corridors, so that Harry would be forewarned if somebody was approaching the bathroom. **

**On Thursday night, Harry sneaked up to bed, put on the cloak, crept back downstairs, and, just as he had done on the night when Hagrid had shown him the dragons, waited for the portrait hole to open. This time it was Ron who waited outside to give the Fat Lady the password ("banana fritters"), "Good luck," Ron muttered, climbing into the room as Harry crept out past him. **

**It was awkward moving under the cloak tonight, because Harry had the heavy egg under one arm and the map held in front of his nose with the other. **

The Marauders all looked like this was nothing.

James snorted, "You should try being under the cloak with three people, the map _and _pranking supplies."

"Why three?" Ginny asked, glancing at the four Marauders.

"Peter's animagus is small enough too go unnoticed." Remus answered.

**However, the moonlit **

Remus ignored the look James and Sirius gave him.

**corridors were empty and silent, and by checking the map at strategic intervals, Harry was able to ensure that he wouldn't run into anyone he wanted to avoid. When he reached the statue of Boris the Bewildered, a lost-looking wizard with his gloves on the wrong hands,**

"How do you put your gloves on the wrong hands?" Sirius asked.

** he located the right door, leaned close to it, and muttered the password, "Pine fresh," just as Cedric had told him. **

**The door creaked open. Harry slipped inside, bolted the door behind him, and pulled off the Invisibility Cloak, looking around. **

**His immediate reaction was that it would be worth becoming a prefect just to be able to use this bathroom. It was softly lit by a splendid candle-filled chandelier, and everything was made of white marble, including what looked like an empty, rectangular swimming pool **

"Whoa." Sirius muttered.

"Moony, you should give us the password!" James said.

Remus rolled his eyes then shuddered, "Knowing you two, you'd probably trash the place."

"Would not!" James and Sirius said together.

"Right." Lily said, not believing them. **A/N: Shun the non-believer! sorry...randomness...**

**sunk into the middle of the floor. About a hundred golden taps stood all around the pools edges, each with a differently colored Jewel set into its handle. There was also a diving board. **

"Seriously?" Sirius said.

James leaned over and whispered something to him.

"Stop scheming." Remus ordered.

"But Moony!"

**Long white linen curtains hung at the windows; a large pile of fluffy white towels sat in a corner, and there was a single golden-framed painting on the wall. It featured a blonde mermaid who was fast asleep on a rock, her long hair over her face. It fluttered every time she snored. **

**Harry moved forward, looking around, his footsteps echoing off the walls. Magnificent though the bathroom was-and quite keen though he was to try out a few of those taps-now he was here he couldn't quite suppress the feeling that Cedric might have been having him on. How on earth was this supposed to help solve the mystery of the egg?**

"Maybe you have to put it under the water." Remus suggested for the second time since Cedric had given Harry the advice.

Lily nodded, "I think that's what you have to do. I can't think of anything else where you'd need a bath to solve it, unless the mermaid helped Cedric or something."

** Nevertheless, he put one of the fluffy towels, the cloak, the map, and the egg at the side of the swimming-pool-sized bath, then knelt down and turned on a few of the taps. **

**He could tell at once that they carried different sorts of bubble bath mixed with the water, though it wasn't bubble bath as Harry had ever experienced it. One tap gushed pink and blue bubbles the size of footballs; another poured ice-white foam so thick that Harry thought it would have supported his weight if he'd cared to test it; a third sent heavily perfumed purple clouds hovering over the surface of the water. Harry amused himself for awhile turning the taps on and off, particularly enjoying the effect of one whose jet bounced off the surface of the water in large arcs.**

All of them laughed a little at this.

**Then, when the deep pool was full of hot water, foam, and bubbles, which took a very short time considering its size, Harry turned off all the taps, pulled off his pajamas, slippers, and dressing gown, and slid into the water. **

**It was so deep that his feet barely touched the bottom, and he actually did a couple of lengths before swimming back to the side and treading water, staring at the egg. **

Lily looked expectantly at the book, causing Harry to laugh slightly.

**Highly enjoyable though it was to swim in hot and foamy water with clouds of different-colored steam wafting all around him, no stroke of brilliance came to him, no sudden burst of understanding. Harry stretched out his arms, lifted the egg in his wet hands, and opened it. The wailing, screeching sound filled the bathroom, echoing and reverberating off the marble walls, but it sounded just as incomprehensible as ever, if not more so with all the echoes. He snapped it shut again, worried that the sound would attract Filch, wondering whether that hadn't been Cedric's plan**

"Better not have been." James growled, narrowing his eyes.

**-and then, making him jump so badly that he dropped the egg, which clattered away across the bathroom floor, someone spoke. **

**"I'd try putting it in the water, if I were you." **

"Of course, Moony was right." Sirius said.

Remus pretended to be upset, "You know it ruins it when you always expect me to get it right everytime."

**Harry had swallowed a considerable amount of bubbles in shock. He stood up, sputtering, and saw the ghost of a very glum-looking girl**

"Moaning Myrtle?!" James said, shocked and afraid.

The four from the future looked confused as the others (minus James) laughed.

"Myrtle likes James." Sirius said, laughing.

"That's an understatement." James growled, "She freakin' _stalks _me!"

Lily gave him a warning glare.

"What? I didn't say the actual word..."

The others laughed harder at the look on James' face.

** sitting cross-legged on top of one of the taps. It was Moaning Myrtle, who was usually to be heard sobbing in the S-bend of a toilet three floors below. **

**"Myrtle!" Harry said in outrage, "I'm - I'm not wearing anything!" **

**The foam was so dense that this hardly mattered, but he had a nasty feeling that Myrtle had been spying on him from out of one of the taps ever since he had arrived. **

**"I closed my eyes when you got in," she said, blinking at him through her thick spectacles. "You haven't been to see me for ages." **

"Why would anyone in their right mind _want _to?" Sirius asked.

"Besides James of course." Remus added, smirking.

"Shut up, Moony!" James yelped.

**"Yeah…well…" said Harry, bending his knees slightly, just to make absolutely sure Myrtle couldn't see anything but his head, "I'm not supposed to come into your bathroom, am I? It's a girls' one." **

**"You didn't used to care," said Myrtle miserably. "You used to be in there all the time." **

"Only because it was absolutely necessary." Sirius said, shuddering.

James glanced at him suspiciously, "Are you just insulting Myrtle because I find her creepy and you're kissing up to get your clothes back?"

"Um...maybe..." Sirius muttered.

"Well, keep it up, it's working."

Sirius grinned and went back to reading.

**This was true, though only because Harry, Ron, and Hermione had found Myrtle's out-of-order toilets a convenient place to brew Polyjuice Potion in secret – a forbidden potion that had turned him and Ron into living replicas of Crabbe and Goyle for an hour, so that they could sneak into the Slytherin common room. **

**"I got told off for going in there." said Harry, which was half-true; Percy had once caught him coming out of Myrtles bathroom. "I thought I'd better not come back after that." **

**"Oh…I see…" said Myrtle, picking at a spot on her chin in a morose sort of way. "Well…anyway…I'd try the egg in the water. That's what Cedric Diggory did." **

**"Have you been spying on him too?" said Harry indignantly. "What d'you do, sneak up here in the evenings to watch the prefects take baths?" **

**"Sometimes," said Myrtle, rather slyly,**

James and Sirius both looked appalled and said, "Never mind about the passwords Moony."

** "but I've never come out to speak to anyone before." **

**"I'm honored," said Harry darkly. "You keep your eyes shut!" **

**He made sure Myrtle had her glasses well covered before hoisting himself out of the bath, wrapping the towel firmly around his waist, and going to retrieve the egg. **

**Once he was back in the water, Myrtle peered through her fingers and said, "Go on, then…open it under the water!" **

**Harry lowered the egg beneath the foamy surface and opened it…and this time, it did not wail. A gurgling song was coming out of it, a song whose words he couldnt distinguish through the water. **

**"You need to put your head under too," said Myrtle, who seemed to be thoroughly enjoying bossing him around. "Go on!" **

**Harry took a great breath and slid under the surface - and now, sitting on the marble bottom of the bubble-filled bath, he heard a chorus of eerie voices singing to him from the open egg in his hands: **

**"_Come seek us where our voices sound, _**

**_We cannot sing above the ground, _**

**_And while you re searching, ponder this: _**

**_We_'_ve taken what you_'_ll sorely miss, _**

**_An hour long you_'_ll have to look, _**

**_And to recover what we took, _**

**_But past an hour- the prospect_'_s black, _**

**_Too late, it_'_s gone, it won_'_t come back_" **

Remus and Lily both got up and stood over Sirius, trying to work out the song.

"'Cannot sing above the ground'? What's that supposed to mean?" Sirius asked.

"Maybe it means you, Sirius!" James shouted, "Though you probably couldn't sing underground either..."

Sirius glared at him as Remus and Lily ignored them and went on.

"Underground?" Remus suggested.

"What about underwater?" Lily added.

Remus nodded, "Merpeople? They sing."

"I can't think of anything else that lives in water that sings." Lily agreed.

"'Come seek us where our voices sound', is that in the lake, then?" James said.

Remus recited the last 5 lines of the song, "That's pretty straight forward, they're going to take something you have to get back and if you don't get it within an hour they keep it."

"So, Harry's going to have to grow gills or something." Peter muttered.

Sirius nodded and continued.

**Harry let himself float back upward and broke the bubbly surface, shaking his hair out of his eyes. **

**"Hear it?" said Myrtle. **

**"Yeah…'Come seek us where our voices sound…' and if I need persuading… hang on, I need to listen again…" He sank back beneath the water. It took three more underwater renditions of the egg's song before Harry had it memorized; then he trod water for a while, thinking hard, while Myrtle sat and watched him. **

**"I've got to go and look for people who can't use their voices above the ground…" he said slowly. "Er…who could that be?" **

**"Slow, aren't you?" **

"That was nice." Sirius said sarcastically.

James smirked, "Keep it up."

**He had never seen Moaning Myrtle so cheerful, apart from the day when a dose of PolyJuice Potion had given Hermione the hairy face and tail of a cat. Harry stared around the bathroom, thinking…if the voices could only be heard underwater, then it made sense for them to belong to underwater creatures. He ran this theory past Myrtle, who smirked at him. **

**"Well, thats what Diggory thought," she said. "He lay there talking to himself for ages about it. Ages and ages…nearly all the bubbles had gone…" **

**"Underwater…" Harry said slowly. "Myrtle…what lives in the lake, apart from the giant squid?" **

**"Oh all sorts," she said. "I sometimes go down there…sometimes don't have any choice, if someone flushes my toilet when I'm not expecting it…" **

**Trying not to think about Moaning Myrtle zooming down a pipe to the lake with the contents of a toilet. Harry said, "Well, does anything in there have a human voice? Hang on -" **

**Harry's eyes had fallen on the picture of the snoozing mermaid on the wall. **

**"Myrtle, there aren't merpeople in there, are there?" **

"Yep."

**"Oooh, very good," she said, her thick glasses twinkling, "it took Diggory much longer than that! And that was with her awake too" - Myrtle jerked her head toward the mermaid with an expression of great dislike on her glum face - "giggling and showing off and flashing her fins…" **

**"Thats it, isn't it?" said Harry excitedly. "The second tasks to go and find the merpeople in the lake and…and…" **

**But he suddenly realized what he was saying, and he felt the excitement drain out of him as though someone had just pulled a plug in his stomach. He wasn't a very good swimmer; he'd never had much practice. Dudley had had lessons in his youth, but Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon, no doubt hoping that Harry would drown one day, hadn't bothered to give him any. **

Lily looked murderous and James looked close.

The rest of them wisely edged away from the two angry teens.

**A couple of lengths of this bath were all very well, but that lake was very large, and very deep…and merpeople would surely live right at the bottom… **

**"Myrtle," Harry said slowly, "how am I supposed to breathe?" **

**At this, Myrtle's eyes filled with sudden tears again. **

**"Tactless!" she muttered, groping in her robes for a handkerchief. **

"She's a ghost! She can't _cry_!" James said.

"Nutter." Sirius muttered.

**"What's tactless?" said Harry, bewildered. **

**"Talking about breathing in front of me!" she said shrilly, and her voice echoed loudly around the bathroom. "When I can't…when I haven't…not for ages…" **

**She buried her face in her handkerchief and sniffed loudly. Harry remembered how touchy Myrtle had always been about being dead, but none of the other ghosts he knew made such a fuss about it. **

**"Sorry," he said impatiently. "I didn't mean - I just forgot…" **

**"Oh yes, very easy to forget Myrtle's dead," said Myrtle, gulping, looking at him out of swollen eyes. "Nobody missed me even when I was alive. Took them hours and hours to find my body - I know, I was sitting there waiting for them. Olive Hornby came into the bathroom – 'Are you in here again, sulking, Myrtle?' she said, 'because Professor Dippet asked me to look for you -' And then she saw my body…ooooh, she didn't forget it until her dying day, I made sure of that…followed her around and reminded her, I did. **

James whimpered at the thought of Myrtle following him until he died.

**I remember at her brother's wedding -" **

**But Harry wasn't listening; he was thinking about the merpeople's song again. **

**"We've taken what you'll sorely miss." That sounded as though they were going to steal something of his, something he had to get back. What were they going to take? **

"The cloak? The map?" James suggested, thinking.

**"—and then, of course, she went to the Ministry of Magic to stop me stalking her,**

"_I _should do that!" James shouted.

Remus and Lily rolled their eyes as the others laughed.

** so I had to come back here and live in my toilet." **

**"Good," said Harry vaguely. "Well, I'm a lot further on than I was…Shut your eyes again, will you? I'm getting out." **

**He retrieved the egg from the bottom of the bath, climbed out, dried himself, and pulled on his pajamas and dressing gown again. **

**"Will you come and visit me in my bathroom again sometime?" **

"Hell no!" James shouted, he winced as soon as he realized what he had said, "Oops..."

The others all laughed as Lily shot him a stinging curse.

**Moaning Myrtle asked mournfully as Harry picked up the Invisibility Cloak. **

**"Er…I'll try," Harry said, though privately thinking the only way he'd be visiting Myrtle's bathroom again was if every other toilet in the castle got blocked. "See you. Myrtle…thanks for your help." **

**"Bye, 'bye," she said gloomily, and as Harry put on the Invisibllity Cloak he saw her zoom back up the tap. **

**Out in the dark corridor, Harry examined the Marauders Map to check that the coast was still clear. Yes, the dots belonging to Filch and his cat, Mrs. Norris, were safely in their office…**

"What about Peeves? Minnie?" Sirius asked, "Snape?"

"McGonagall doesn't really go out of her way to catch me." Harry explained.

"Lucky!" James shouted.

"You're the ones that call he 'Minnie'." Remus pointed out, smirking.

"I think she secretly likes it." Sirius muttered.

**nothing else seemed to be moving apart from Peeves, though he was bouncing around the trophy room on the floor above…Harry had taken his first step back toward Gryffindor Tower when something else on the map caught his eye…something distinctly odd. **

**Peeves was not the only thing that was moving. A single dot was flitting around a room in the bottom left-hand corner - Snapes office. **

"Well, he's in his office, that's not odd." James said.

"There's more, Prongs!" Sirius said, reading on.

**But the dot wasn't labeled "Severus Snape"**

"Who?" James asked.

"Shut up!" Remus, Lily and Sirius all shouted.

"Well."

**…it was Bartemius Crouch.**

"What's he doing there?" James asked.

Lily glared at him, annoyed and silenced him.

Remus disarmed James and he pouted.

"I would try to get your wand back," Sirius began, Remus shot him a warning look, "but Moony may kill me."

James frowned as Remus smirked, watching Sirius and James closely in case they made any2 wand rescue attempts.

** Harry stared at the dot. Mr. Crouch was supposed to be too ill to go to work or to come to the Yule Ball-so what was he doing, sneaking into Hogwarts at one o'clock in the morning? **

Remus frowned, looking thoughtful.

**Harry watched closely as the dot moved around and around the room, pausing here and there… **

**Harry hesitated, thinking…and then his curiosity got the better of him. He turned and set off in the opposite direction toward the nearest staircase. He was going to see what Crouch was up to. **

**Harry walked down the stairs as quietly as possible, though the faces in some of the portraits still turned curiously at the squeak of a floorboard, the rustle of his pajamas. He crept along the corridor below, pushed aside a tapestry about halfway along, and proceeded down a narrower staircase, a shortcut that would take him down two floors. He kept glancing down at the map, wondering…It just didn't seem in character, somehow, for correct, law-abiding Mr. Crouch to be sneaking around somebody else's office this late at night… **

"Could it be someone pretending to be him? By Polyjuice or something?" Peter asked.

Remus shook his head, "No, the map would show the impostor's name."

**And then, halfway down the staircase, not thinking about what he was doing, not concentrating on anything but the peculiar behavior of Mr. Crouch, Harry's leg suddenly sank right through the trick step Neville always forgot to jump. **

James frowned and gave Harry a worried look.

**He gave an ungainly wobble, and the golden egg, still damp from the bath, slipped from under his arm.**

"No!" Sirius hissed.

**He lurched forward to try and catch it, but too late; the egg fell down the long staircase with a bang as loud as a bass drum on every step-**

All the Marauders looked horrified.

**the Invisibility Cloak slipped-Harry snatched at it, and the Marauder s Map fluttered out of his hand and slid down six stairs, where, sunk in the step to above his knee, he couldn't reach it. **

James was grateful he was silenced so he could curse freely.

Lily, reading what he was mouthing and assuming, hexed him. James jumped and appeared to shout before glaring at Lily.

**The golden egg fell through the tapestry at the bottom of the staircase, burst open,**

Sirius cursed and Lily shot him a look, James threw his hands up in exasperation, _She hadn't hexed Sirius and you could actually _hear _him! _

** and began wailing loudly in the corridor below. Harry pulled out his wand and struggled to touch the Marauders Map, to wipe it blank, but it was too far away to reach– **

"No, no, no." Sirius muttered, James seemed to be doing the same as Remus and Peter simply looked worried.

**Pulling the cloak back over himself Harry straightened up, listening hard with his eyes screwed up with fear…and, almost immediately – **

**"PEEVES!" **

"No! It's Filch!" Sirius shouted, cursing once more.

Lily gave him another look and an already upset James grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote:

_What the heck?! _

Lily smirked at him as the others laughed.

**It was the unmistakable hunting cry of Filch the caretaker. Harry could hear his rapid, shuffling footsteps coming nearer and nearer, his wheezy voice raised in fury. **

**"What's this racket? Wake up the whole castle, will you? I'll have you, Peeves, I'll have you, you'll…and what is this?" **

**Filch's footsteps halted; there was a clink of metal on metal and the wailing stopped - Filch had picked up the egg and closed it. Harry stood very still, one leg still Jammed tightly in the magical step, listening. Any moment now, Filch was going to pull aside the tapestry, expecting to see Peeves…and there would be no Peeves…but if he came up the stairs, he would spot the Marauder's Map…and Invisibility Cloak or not, the map would show "Harry Potter" standing exactly where he was. **

**"Egg?" Filch said quietly at the foot of the stairs. "My sweet!"-Mrs. Norris was obviously with him **

They all looked a bit disgusted at this.

**-"This is a Triwizard clue! This belongs to a school champion!" **

"No, really?" Ginny asked.

**Harry felt sick; his heart was hammering very fast- **

**"PEEVES!" Filch roared gleefully. "You've been stealing!" **

**He ripped back the tapestry below, and Harry saw his horrible, pouchy face and bulging, pale eyes staring up the dark and (to Filch) deserted staircase. **

**"Hiding, are you?" he said softly. "I'm coming to get you, Peeves…You've gone and stolen a Triwizard clue, Peeves…Dumbledore'll have you out of here for this, you filthy, pilfering poltergeist…" **

**Filch started to climb the stairs, his scrawny, dust-colored cat at his heels. Mrs. Morris's lamp-like eyes, so very like her masters, were fixed directly upon Harry. **

"You don't think she can see you?" Ron asked.

Harry shrugged, "It seems that way."

The Marauders all nodded and Remus said, "It's happened to us before."

**He had had occasion before now **

**to wonder whether the Invisibility Cloak worked on cats…Sick with apprehension, he watched Filch drawing nearer and nearer in his old flannel dressing gown-he tried desperately to pull his trapped leg free, but it merely sank a few more inches - any second now, Filch was going to spot the map or walk right into him - **

**"Filch? Whats going on?" **

Sirius crossed his fingers and muttered, "_Please _not Snape."

**Filch stopped a few steps below Harry and turned. At the foot of the stairs stood the only person who could make Harry's situation worse: Snape.**

"Of course." Sirius groaned; James frowned deeply in agreement.

** He was wearing a long gray nightshirt **

Sirius and James snickered in remembering a certain event from their fifth year where they had seen another article of Snape's clothing that was gray.

Remus and Lily both shot them disapproving looks and they were smart enough to look ashamed.

**and he looked livid. **

**"It's Peeves, Professor," Filch whispered malevolently. "He threw this egg down the stairs." **

**Snape climbed up the stairs quickly and stopped beside Filch. Harry gritted his teeth, convinced his loudly thumping heart would give him away at any second… **

**"Peeves?" said Snape softly, staring at the egg in Filch's hands. "But Peeves couldn't get into my office…" **

**"This egg was in your office. Professor?" **

"Yes, Snape's the new Hogwarts Champion!" Sirius cried.

**"Of course not," Snape snapped. "I heard banging and wailing -" **

**"Yes, Professor, that was the egg -" **

**"-I was coming to investigate -" **

**"-Peeves threw it. Professor -" **

**"-and when I passed my office, I saw that the torches were lit and a cupboard door was ajar! Somebody has been searching it!" **

**"But Peeves couldn't -" **

**"I know he couldn't, Filch!" Snape snapped again. "I seal my office with a spell none but a wizard could break!" Snape looked up the stairs, straight through Harry, and then down into the corridor below. "I want you to come and help me search for the intruder, Filch." **

"Thanks for asking." Ron remarked dryly.

**"I-yes, Professor-but -" **

**Filch looked yearningly up the stairs, right through Harry, who could see that he was very reluctant to forgo the chance of cornering Peeves. Go, Harry pleaded with him silently, go with Snape…go…Mrs. Norris was peering around Filch's legs…Harry had the distinct impression that she could smell him…Why had he filled that bath with so much perfumed foam? **

**"The thing is, Professor," said Filch plaintively, "the headmaster will have to listen to me this time. Peeves has been stealing from a student, it might be my chance to get him thrown out of the castle once and for all -" **

**"Filch, I don't give a damn about that wretched poltergeist; it's my office that's -" **

**Clunk. Clunk. Clunk. **

"Moody?" Lily asked.

James grabbed a piece of parchment and wrote something down.

'_Sirius unsilence me!'_

Sirius gave Remus an apprehensive look, "Prongs, don't make me!"

_'Unsilence me!' _

Sirius gave Remus a pleading look and waved his wand.

James grinned, "Thanks, Pads."

Remus glared at them both and Sirius frowned.

James jumped up and ran into his room that the Room of Requirement had supplied.

He returned a few minutes later with Sirius' clothes. Sirius gave a shout of joy and took his clothes, waving his wand to put them on.

Sirius handed James the bunny blanket and James wrinkled his nose in disgust.

**Snape stopped talking very abruptly. He and Filch both looked down at the foot of the stairs. Harry saw Mad-Eye Moody limp into sight through the narrow gap between their heads. Moody was wearing his old traveling cloak over his nightshirt and leaning on his staff as usual. **

**"Pajama party, is it?" he growled up the stairs. **

**"Professor Snape and I heard noises, Professor," said Filch at once. "Peeves the Poltergeist, throwing things around as usual - and then Professor Snape discovered that someone had broken into his off -" **

**"Shut up!" Snape hissed to Filch. **

"Snape doesn't trust Mad-Eye?" James guessed.

**Moody took a step closer to the foot of the stairs. Harry saw Moodys magical eye travel over Snape, and then, unmistakably, onto himself. **

"He won't rat him out." Sirius said, more hopeful than just casually commenting.

**Harry's heart gave a horrible jolt. Moody could see through Invisibility Cloaks…he alone could see the full strangeness of the scene: Snape in his nightshirt, Filch clutching the egg, and he, Harry, trapped in the stairs behind them. Moody's lopsided gash of a mouth opened in surprise. For a few seconds, he and Harry stared straight into each other's eyes. Then Moody closed his mouth and turned his blue eye upon Snape again. **

**"Did I hear that correctly, Snape?" he asked slowly. "Someone broke into your office?" **

"Moody doesn't think it's Harry, does he?" Lily asked worriedly.

**"It is unimportant," said Snape coldly. **

**"On the contrary," growled Moody, "it is very important. Who'd want to break into your office?" **

**"A student, I daresay," said Snape. Harry could see a vein flickering horribly on Snape's greasy temple. "It has happened before. Potion ingredients have gone missing from my private store cupboard…students attempting illicit mixtures, no doubt…" **

**"Reckon they were after potion ingredients, eh?" said Moody. "Not hiding anything else in your office, are you?" **

**Harry saw the edge of Snapes sallow face turn a nasty brick color, the vein in his temple pulsing more rapidly. **

"What would he be hiding?" Ron asked, looking at them book suspiciously.

**"You know I'm hiding nothing, Moody," he said in a soft and dangerous voice, "as you've searched my office pretty thoroughly yourself." **

"Really?" James said, surprised.

"Good on you, Moody." Sirius said, low enough where Lily couldn't hear him.

**Moodys face twisted into a smile. "Auror's privilege, Snape. Dumbledore told me to keep an eye -" **

**"Dumbledore happens to trust me," **

A few of them glanced at the book, _Was Dumbledore making a mistake?_

**said Snape through clenched teeth. "I refuse to believe that he gave you orders to search my office!" **

**"Course Dumbledore trusts you," growled Moody. "He's a trusting man, isn't he? Believes in second chances. But me-I say there are spots that don't come off, Snape. Spots that never come off, d'you know what I mean?" **

"What?"

**Snape suddenly did something very strange. He seized his left forearm convulsively with his right hand, **

"The Dark Mark?"

**as though something on it had hurt him. **

**Moody laughed. "Get back to bed, Snape." **

**"You don't have the authority to send me anywhere!" Snape hissed, letting go of his arm as though angry with himself. "I have as much right to prowl this school after dark as you do!" **

**"Prowl away," said Moody, but his voice was full of menace. "I look forward to meeting you in a dark corridor some time…**

Sirius and James smirked at each other after making sure Lily wasn't looking.

**You've dropped something, by the way…"**

"NO! THE MAP!" The Marauders all shouted.

**With a stab of horror Harry saw Moody point at the Marauders Map, still lying on the staircase six steps below him. As Snape and Filch both turned to look at it, Harry threw caution to the winds; he raised his arms under the cloak and waved furiously at Moody to attract his attention, mouthing "It's mine! Mine!" **

**Snape had reached out for it, a horrible expression of dawning comprehension on his face-**

"No!"

**"_Accio Parchment!_" **

**The map flew up into the air, slipped through Snapes outstretched fingers, and soared down the stairs into Moodys hand. **

"Phew."

**"My mistake," Moody said calmly. "It's mine-must've dropped it earlie -" **

**But Snape's black eyes were darting from the egg in Filch's arms to the map in Moodys hand, and Harry could tell he was putting two and two together, as only Snape could…**

"He knows." They all moaned.

**"Potter," he said quietly. **

**"What's that?" said Moody calmly, folding up the map and pocketing it. **

**"Potter!" Snape snarled, and he actually turned his head and stared right at the place where Harry was, as though he could suddenly see him. "That egg is Potters egg. That piece of parchment belongs to Potter. I have seen it before, I recognize it! Potter is here! Potter, in his Invisibility Cloak!" **

**Snape stretched out his hands like a blind man and began to move up the stairs; **

"That would be quite fun to watch." James said, smiling.

Remus rolled his eyes, "You do realize where you are, right?"

"Oh yeah!" James shouted, wishing up a picture.

**Harry could have sworn his over-large nostrils were dilating, trying to sniff Harry out-trapped. Harry leaned backward, trying to avoid Snapes fingertips, but any moment now- **

**"There's nothing there, Snape!" barked Moody, "but I'll be happy to tell the headmaster how quickly your mind jumped to Harry Potter!" **

**"Meaning what?" Snape turned again to look at Moody, his hands still outstretched, inches from Harry's chest. **

**"Meaning that Dumbledore's very interested to know who's got it in for that boy!" said Moody, limping nearer still to the foot of the stairs. "And so am I, Snape…very interested…" The torchlight flickered across his mangled face, so that the scars, and the chunk missing from his nose, looked deeper and darker than ever. **

**Snape was looking down at Moody, and Harry couldn't see the expression on his face. For a moment, nobody moved or said anything. Then Snape slowly lowered his hands. **

**"I merely thought," said Snape, in a voice of forced calm, "that if Potter was wandering around after hours again…it's an unfortunate habit of his…he should be stopped. For - for his own safety." **

"Yeah, right."

**"Ah, I see," said Moody softly. "Got Potter's best interests at heart, have you?" **

**There was a pause. Snape and Moody were still staring at each other, Mrs. Norris gave a loud meow, still peering around Filch's legs, looking for the source of Harry's bubble-bath smell. **

**"I think I will go back to bed," Snape said curtly. **

"Good!"

**"Best idea you've had all night," said Moody.**

They all laughed and cheered for Moody.

** "Now, Filch, if you'll just give me that egg-" **

**"No!" said Filch, clutching the egg as though it were his firstborn son. "Professor Moody, this is evidence of Peeves' treachery!" **

**"It's the property of the champion he stole it from," said Moody. "Hand it over, now." **

**Snape swept downstairs and passed Moody without another word. Filch made a chirruping noise to Mrs. Norris, who stared blankly at Harry for a few more seconds before turning and following her master. Still breathing very fast. Harry heard Snape walking away down the corridor; Filch handed Moody the egg and disappeared from view too, muttering to Mrs. Norris. "Never mind my sweet…we'll see Dumbledore in the morning…tell him what Peeves was up to…" **

**A door slammed. Harry was left staring down at Moody, who placed his staff on the bottommost stair and started to climb laboriously toward him, a dull clunk on every other step. **

**"Close shave Potter," he muttered. **

**"Yeah…I-er…thanks," said Harry weakly. **

**"What is this thing?" said Moody, drawing the Marauder's Map out of his pocket and unfolding it. **

**"Map of Hogwarts," said Harry, hoping Moody was going to pull him out of the staircase soon; his leg was really hurting him. **

**"Merlins beard," Moody whispered, staring at the map, his magical eye going haywire. "This…this is some map. Potter!"**

All the Marauders beamed proudly.

**"Yeah, it's…quite useful," Harry said. His eyes were starting to water from the pain. "Er-Professor Moody, d'you think you could help me-?" **

**"What? Oh! Yes…yes, of course…" **

**Moody took hold of Harry's arms and pulled; Harry's leg came free of the trick step,**

"Why does Hogwarts even have those?"

** and he climbed onto the one above it. Moody was still gazing at the map. "Potter…" he said slowly, "you didn't happen, by any chance, to see who broke into Snapes office, did you? On this map, I mean?" **

**"Er…yeah, I did…" Harry admitted. "It was Mr. Crouch." **

**Moodys magical eye whizzed over the entire surface of the map. He looked suddenly alarmed. **

**"Crouch?" he said. "You're-you're sure Potter?" **

**"Positive," said Harry. **

**"Well, he's not here anymore," said Moody, his eye still whizzing over the map. "Crouch…that's very-very interesting…" **

"Is it just me, or is Moody acting nervous?" Remus said.

A few of them nodded in agreement.

**He said nothing for almost a minute, still staring at the map. Harry could tell that this news meant something to Moody and very much wanted to know what it was. He wondered whether he dared ask. Moody scared him slightly… yet Moody had just helped him avoid an awful lot of trouble… **

**"Er…Professor Moody…why d'you reckon Mr. Crouch wanted to look around Snapes office?" **

**Moodys magical eye left the map and fixed, quivering, upon Harry. It was a penetrating glare, and Harry had the impression that Moody was sizing him up, wondering whether to answer or not, or how much to tell him. **

**"Put it this way Potter," Moody muttered finally, "they say old Mad-Eye's obsessed with catching Dark wizards…but I'm nothing-nothing-compared to Barty Crouch." **

**He continued to stare at the map. Harry was burning to know more. **

**"Professor Moody?" he said again. "D'you think…could this have anything to do with…maybe Mr. Crouch thinks there's something going on…" **

**"Like what?" said Moody sharply. **

**Harry wondered how much he dare say. He didn't want Moody to guess that he had a source of information outside Hogwarts; that might lead to tricky questions about Sirius. **

Sirius glanced at the book worriedly.

**"I don't know," Harry muttered, "odd stuffs been happening lately, hasn't it? It's been in the _Daily Prophet_…the Dark Mark at the World Cup, and the Death Eaters and everything…" **

**Both of Moody's mismatched eyes widened. **

**"You're a sharp boy. Potter," he said. His magical eye roved back to the Marauder's Map. "Crouch could be thinking along those lines," he said slowly. "Very possible…there have been some funny rumors flying around lately - helped along by Rita Skeeter, of course.**

Everyone put on a disgusted face and Hermione smiled.

"What're you so happy about?" Sirius asked.

"Can't tell you." Hermione answered.

Ron and Harry looked at her questioningly and she elaborated, "At the end of fourth year, on the train."

"Oh yeah!" They smiled as well.

** It's making a lot of people nervous, I reckon." A grim smile twisted his lopsided mouth. "Oh if there's one thing I hate," he muttered, more to himself than to Harry, and his magical eye was fixed on the left-hand corner of the map, "its a Death Eater who walked free…" **

**Harry stared at him. Could Moody possibly mean what Harry thought he meant? **

**"And now I want to ask you a question Potter," said Moody in a more businesslike tone. **

**Harry's heart sank; he had thought this was coming. Moody was going to ask where he had got this map, which was a very dubious magical object**

"No, please don't." Sirius begged, as though Moody could hear him.

**-and the story of how it had fallen into his hands incriminated not only him, but his own father, Fred and George Weasley, and Professor Lupin, their last Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Moody waved the map in front of Harry, who braced himself- **

**"Can I borrow this?" **

"What?"

**"Oh!" said Harry. **

**He was very fond of his map, but on the other hand, he was extremely relieved that Moody wasn't asking where he'd got it, and there was no doubt that he owed Moody a favor. **

**"Yeah, okay." **

**"Good boy," growled Moody. **

"Wonder what would've happened if Harry had said no..."

**"I can make good use of this…this might be exactly what I've been looking for…Right, bed, Potter, come on, now…" **

**They climbed to the top of the stairs together, Moody still examining the map as though it was a treasure the like of which he had never seen before. They walked in silence to the door of Moody's office, where he stopped and looked up at Harry. **

**"You ever thought of a career as an Auror, Potter?" **

**"No," said Harry, taken aback. **

**"You want to consider it," said Moody, nodding and looking at Harry thoughtfully. "Yes, indeed…and incidentally…I'm guessing you werent just taking that egg for a walk tonight?" **

**"Er-no," said Harry, grinning. "I've been working out the clue." **

**Moody winked at him, his magical eye going haywire again. "Nothing like a nighttime stroll to give you ideas, Potter…See you in the morning…" **

**He went back into his office, staring down at the Marauders Map again, and closed the door behind him. **

**Harry walked slowly back to Gryffindor Tower, lost in thought about Snape, and Crouch, and what it all meant…Why was Crouch pretending to be ill, if he could manage to get to Hogwarts when he wanted to? What did he think Snape was concealing in his office? And Moody thought he, Harry, ought to be an Auror! Interesting idea…but somehow. Harry thought, as he got quietly into his four-poster ten minutes later, the egg and the cloak now safely back in his trunk, he thought he'd like to check how scarred the rest of them were before he chose it as a career. **

"Not all of them are like that." Remus pointed out.

Sirius handed the book to Harry.

**A/N: This chapter reminded me of this episode of Pottercast where they were wondering if Mrs. Norris was actaully some student Sirius had turned into a cat on accident and then given to Filch. XD**

**For those of you who read Marauders, I've got part of that chapter finished and will get to work on it soon. **

**Review please!  
**


	28. The Second Task

**A/N: w00t! Finally finished it...now I need to update everything else...**

**CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX**

**THE SECOND TASK**

Everyone from present day/the past exchanged a worried look.

"**You said you'd already worked out that egg clue!" said Hermione indignantly.**

Hermione glared at Harry and smiled sheepishly.

"**Keep your voice down!" said Harry crossly. "I just need to - sort of fine-tune it, all right?"**

**He, Ron, and Hermione were sitting at the very back of the Charms class with a table to themselves. They were supposed to be practicing the opposite of the Summoning Charm today-the Banishing Charm. Owing to the potential for nasty accidents when objects kept flying across the room, Professor Flitwick had given each student a stack of cushions on which to practice, the theory being that these wouldn't hurt anyone **

"Yeah, right." James muttered, glaring at Sirius.

"What? I apologized for getting feathers all over you!" Sirius said, barely hiding a grin.

"How did you get feathers all over him?" Harry asked curiously.

"My cushion hit him and he fell into the shelf where Flitwick stores the feathers he uses with the first years." Sirius said, smiling at the memory, "and the cushion burst open."

"He looked like a bird." Remus said, laughing.

James glared at them and watched in horror as Sirius wished up a picture.

"I hate you."

Sirius simply grinned in response and handed the picture of James covered in feathers (and spitting them out of his mouth) to Harry.

James moaned a protest and sulked as everyone passed the picture around, "Can we please read again?"

Harry smiled at him and picked up the book, continuing.

**if they went off target. It was a good theory, but it wasn't working very well. Neville's aim was so poor that he kept accidentally sending much heavier things flying across the room-Professor Flitwick, for instance.**

"That happens too." Remus added.

Peter shifted uncomfortably and Sirius and James laughed.

"**Just forget the egg for a minute, all right?" Harry hissed as Professor Flitwick went whizzing resignedly past them, landing on top of a large cabinet.**

"Remember how much trouble you two caused?" Remus asked, "Pretending it was just an accident when you kept sending things at people."

James and Sirius grinned.

"And Flitwick gave you detention because he knew you knew how to do the spell." Peter remembered.

The black-haired Marauders frowned, "Unfair."

**"I'm trying to tell you about Snape and Moody…"**

**This class was an ideal cover for a private conversation, as everyone was having far too much fun to pay them any attention. Harry had been recounting his adventures of the previous night in whispered installments for the last half hour.**

"**Snape said Moodys searched his office as well?" Ron whispered, his eyes alight with interest as he Banished a cushion with a sweep of his wand (it soared into the air and knocked Parvati's hat off). "What…d'you reckon Moody's here to keep an eye on Snape as well as Karkaroff?"**

"Dumbledore trusts Snape, he wouldn't have hired Moody just to keep an eye on Snape." Remus pointed out.

"**Well, I dunno if that's what Dumbledore asked him to do, but he's definitely doing it," said Harry, waving his wand without paying much attention, so that his cushion did an odd sort of belly flop off the desk. "Moody said Dumbledore only lets Snape stay here because he's giving him a second chance or something…"**

"**What?" said Ron, his eyes widening, his next cushion spinning high into the air, ricocheting off the chandelier, and dropping heavily onto Flitwick's desk. "Harry…maybe Moody thinks Snape put your name in the Goblet of Fire!"**

"**Oh Ron," said Hermione, shaking her head sceptically, "we thought Snape was trying to kill Harry before, and it turned out he was saving Harry's life, remember?"**

**She Banished a cushion and it flew across the room and landed in the box they were all supposed to be aiming at. **

"Of course." Ron muttered.

**Harry looked at Hermione, thinking…it was true that Snape had saved his life once, but the odd thing was, Snape definitely loathed him,**

"Because of you." Lily said, glaring at the Marauders.

James and Sirius tried (and failed) to look innocent, Remus gave Lily a sheepish look and Peter frowned.

**just as he'd loathed Harry's father when they had been at school together.**

Lily gave the book a smug look.

**Snape loved taking points from Harry, and had certainly never missed an opportunity to give him punishments, or even to suggest that he should be suspended from the school.**

"**I don't care what Moody says," Hermione went on. "Dumbledore's not stupid. **

"'Course not." nearly the whole room said.

**He was right to trust Hagrid and Professor Lupin, **

The Marauders (minus Remus) cheered and Remus looked amused, "Are you going to cheer every time my name is mentioned?"

"Yup." **A/N: Of _course _Remus, why wouldn't they? ;)**

**even though loads of people wouldn't have given them jobs, so why shouldn't he be right about Snape, even if Snape is a bit -"**

"**-evil," **

"That's a bit much." Remus said.

**said Ron promptly. "Come on, Hermione, why are all these Dark wizard catchers searching his office, then?"**

"**Why has Mr. Crouch been pretending to be ill?" said Hermione, ignoring Ron. "Its a bit funny, isn't it, that he can't manage to come to the Yule Ball, but he can get up here in the middle of the night when he wants to?"**

"**You just don't like Crouch because of that elf, Winky," **

They all laughed a little.

**said Ron, sending a cushion soaring into the window.**

"**You just want to think Snapes up to something," **

"No, never." Sirius said.

Lily shot him a glare.

**said Hermione, sending her cushion zooming neatly into the box.**

"**I just want to know what Snape did with his first chance, if he's on his second one," said Harry grimly, and his cushion, to his very great surprise, flew straight across the room and landed neatly on top of Hermione's.**

**Obedient to Sirius's **

Sirius coughed pointedly and glanced at Remus.

Everyone looked at him, confused until Remus and James understood and cheered, laughing.

"_Thank _you." Sirius said, smirking.

**wish of hearing about anything odd at Hogwarts, Harry sent him a letter by brown owl that night, explaining all about Mr. Crouch breaking into Snape's office, and Moody and Snape's conversation. Then Harry turned his attention in earnest to the most urgent problem facing him: how to survive underwater for an hour on the twenty-fourth of February.**

**Ron quite liked the idea of using the Summoning Charm again**

"How would that help?" Lily asked.

**-Harry had explained about Aqua-Lungs, **

"Oh." Lily said.

"What are 'Aqua-Lungs?'" James asked.

"It's these things muggles use for scuba diving." Lily explained.

"Scuba diving?" Sirius asked.

Remus rolled his eyes, "You two serous-" He paused to reword, "-really need to take Muggle Studies. Muggles use Aqua-Lungs to breath underwater."

Sirius grinned, "Were you about to say Sirius-ly, Moony?"

Remus ignored him and motioned for Harry to read.

**and Ron couldn't see why Harry shouldn't Summon one from the nearest Muggle town. Hermione squashed this plan by pointing out that, in the unlikely event that Harry managed to learn how to operate an Aqua- Lung within the set limit of an hour, he was sure to be disqualified for breaking the International Code of Wizarding Secrecy - it was too much to hope that no Muggles would spot an Aqua-Lung zooming across the countryside to Hogwarts.**

"**Of course, the ideal solution would be for you to Transfigure yourself into a submarine or something," **

"That would be difficult. You'd be changing yourself into an inanimate object, wouldn't it be easier to transfigure yourself into a fish or something?" James asked.

"To bad he's not an animagus." Sirius muttered.

"That wouldn't really help." Remus pointed out.

"Lots of animals can swim really well."

"But not underwater and deer can't hardly swim at all."

Sirius laughed, "True Moony."

"OI! It's a _stag_!" James shouted, glaring at Remus.

"What's the difference?" Lily asked.

"Stag sounds more manly and gives Prongsie here an unnecessary ego boost." Sirius said, leaning back in his chair.

"You know, when you use 'manly' and 'Prongsie' in the same sentence they kind of cancel each other out." James said, flicking his wand at Sirius' chair.

Sirius yelled out as his chair leaned back even further and he toppled to the ground, "Why am I the only one that ever falls out of chairs?"

"Because you're the only one who leans back in them?" Peter guessed.

"Honestly, how many times has McGonagall told you not to?" Remus asked.

"McGonagall was worried about Sirius?" Harry asked.

"I believe what she actually said was, 'As much as I'd love for you to fall and get some injury that would make you leave class, Mr. Black, it would not make me look good if you did so'." Sirius muttered.

"So, really, she was just worried about herself." James said.

**Hermione said. "If only we'd done human Transfiguration already! But I don't think we start that until sixth year, and it can go badly wrong if you don't know what you're doing…"**

"**Yeah, I don't fancy walking around with a periscope sticking out of my head," **

They all laughed at this mental image.

"Could be useful, I s'pose." Sirius pointed out, still lying on the floor, his chair on it's side. He conjured himself a few pillows and put them behind his head, propping himself up so he could watch Harry read.

**said Harry. "I s'pose I could always attack someone in front of Moody; he might do it for me…"**

"**I don't think he'd let you choose what you wanted to be turned into, though," **

"Dolphin, please." Sirius requested, holding up a hand.

**said Hermione seriously. "No, I think your best chance is some sort of charm."**

**So Harry, thinking that he would soon have had enough of the library to last him a lifetime, buried himself once more among the dusty volumes, looking for any spell that might enable a human to survive without oxygen. However, though he, Ron, and Hermione searched through their lunchtimes, **

Sirius looked appalled.

**evenings, and whole weekends - though Harry asked Professor McGonagall **

"Minnie."

**for a note of permission to use the Restricted Section, and even asked the irritable, vulture-like librarian Madam Pince, for help - they found nothing whatsoever that would enable Harry to spend an hour underwater and live to tell the tale.**

**Familiar flutterings of panic were starting to disturb Harry now, and he was finding it difficult to concentrate in class again. The lake, which Harry had always taken for granted as just another feature of the grounds, drew his eyes whenever he was near a classroom window, a great, iron-gray mass of chilly water, whose dark and icy depths **

"Wouldn't hurt for Harry to find a heating charm or something, that water is going to be freezing." James pointed out.

**were starting to seem as distant as the moon.**

Sirius howled and Remus got up calmly to go and smack him on the top of the head (the back was currently covered by pillows).

Sirius stared at him, dumbstruck, as Remus calmly returned to his seat and the others fought to keep straight faces.

**Just as it had before he faced the Horntail, time was slipping away as though somebody had bewitched the clocks to go extra-fast. There was a week to go before February the twenty-fourth (there was still time)…there were five days to go (he was bound to find something soon)…three days to go (please let me find something…please)…With two days left. Harry started to go off food again. The only good thing about breakfast on Monday was the return of the brown owl he had sent to Sirius. He pulled off the parchment, unrolled it, and saw the shortest letter Sirius had ever written to him.**

Sirius made a noise of protest.

**_Send date of next Hogsmeade weekend by return owl._**

"I'm coming to visit?" Sirius suggested hopefully.

"You better not get caught." James warned.

"Isn't that what Marauders are pros at?" Sirius asked, grinning.

**Harry turned the parchment over and looked at the back, hoping to see something else, but it was blank.**

"**Weekend after next," whispered Hermione, who had read the note over Harry's shoulder. "Here - take my quill and send this owl back straight away."**

**Harry scribbled the dates down on the back of Sirius's letter, tied it onto the brown owl's leg, and watched it take flight again. What had he expected? Advice on how to survive underwater? He had been so intent on telling Sirius all about Snape and Moody he had completely forgotten to mention the eggs clue.**

"**What's he want to know about the next Hogsmeade weekend for?" said Ron.**

"**Dunno," said Harry dully. The momentary happiness that had flared inside him at the sight of the owl had died. "Come on…Care of Magical Creatures."**

**Whether Hagrid was trying to make up for the Blast-Ended Skrewts, or because there were now only two skrewts left,**

"YES!"

**or because he was trying to prove he could do anything that Professor Grubbly-Plank could, Harry didnt know, but Hagrid had been continuing her lessons on unicorns ever since he'd returned to work. It turned out that Hagrid knew quite as much about unicorns as he did about monsters, though it was clear that he found their lack of poisonous fangs disappointing.**

**Today he had managed to capture two unicorn foals. Unlike full-grown unicorns, they were pure gold. Parvati and Lavender went into transports of delight at the sight of them, and even Pansy Parkinson had to work hard to conceal how much she liked them.**

"**Easier ter spot than the adults," Hagrid told the class. "They turn silver when they're abou' two years old, an' they grow horns at aroun four. Don' go pure white till they're full grown, 'round about seven. They're a bit more trustin when they're babies…don mind boys so much…C'mon, move in a bit, yeh can pat 'em if yeh want…give 'em a few o' these sugar lumps…**

"**You okay Harry?" **

"Fantastic!" James said sarcastically.

**Hagrid muttered, moving aside slightly, while most of the others swarmed around the baby unicorns.**

"**Yeah," said Harry.**

"**Jus' nervous, eh?" said Hagrid.**

"A bit."

"James, shut up." Lily muttered.

"**Bit," said Harry.**

"**Harry," said Hagrid, clapping a massive hand on his shoulder, so that Harry's knees buckled under its weight, **

Everyone shot Harry a sympathetic look.

James laughed, "Remember when we first met Hagrid and he did that to Sirius and he fell down?"

Remus and Peter started laughing with James as the remembered and Sirius glared at them, "I was a first year then. I was small!"

**"I'd've bin worried before I saw yeh take on tha Horntail, but I know now yeh can do anythin' yeh set yer mind ter. I'm not worried at all. Yeh're goin ter be fine. Got yer clue worked out, haven' yeh?"**

**Harry nodded, but even as he did so, an insane urge to confess that he didn't have any idea how to survive at the bottom of the lake for an hour came over him. **

"Not a bad idea." Sirius said.

"Hagrid may be able to help." Remus agreed.

**He looked up at Hagrid - perhaps he had to go into the lake sometimes, to deal with the creatures in it? He looked after everything else on the grounds, after all-**

"**Yeh're goin' ter win," **

"Damn right he will." James said, then winced and gave Lily a look, "Oops?"

Lily shot him a glare but let it slide beyond that.

**Hagrid growled, patting Harry's shoulder again, so that Harry actually felt himself sink a couple of inches into the soft ground. "I know it. I can feel it. Yeh're goin' ter win, Harry"**

**Harry just couldn't bring himself to wipe the happy, confident smile off Hagrid's face. Pretending he was interested in the young unicorns, he forced a smile in return, and moved forward to pat them with the others.**

**By the evening before the second task Harry felt as though he were trapped in a nightmare. He was fully aware that even if, by some miracle, he managed to find a suitable spell, he'd have a real job mastering it overnight. **

Everyone from present-day exchanged a worried look.

**How could he have let this happen? Why hadn't he got to work on the egg's clue sooner? Why had he ever let his mind wander in class-what if a teacher had once mentioned how to breathe underwater?**

"Can't think of when a teacher ever has." James said.

**He sat with Hermione and Ron in the library as the sun set outside, tearing feverishly through page after page of spells, hidden from one another by the massive piles of books on the desk in front of each of them. Harry s heart gave a huge leap every time he saw the word "water" on a page, but more often than not it was merely "Take two pints of water, half a pound of shredded mandrake leaves, and a newt…"**

"**I don't reckon it can be done," said Rons voice flatly from the other side of the table. "There's nothing. Nothing. Closest was that thing to dry up puddles and ponds, that Drought Charm, but that was nowhere near powerful enough to drain the lake."**

"**There must be something," Hermione muttered, moving a candle closer to her. Her eyes were so tired she was poring over the tiny print of Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charmes with her nose about an inch from the page. "They'd never have set a task that was undoable."**

"**They have," said Ron. "Harry, just go down to the lake tomorrow, right, stick your head in, yell at the merpeople to give back whatever they've nicked, and see if they chuck it out. Best you can do, mate."**

"**There's a way of doing it!" Hermione said crossly. "There just has to be!"**

**She seemed to be taking the library's lack of useful information on the subject as a personal insult; it had never failed her before.**

James and Sirius snickered.

"**I know what I should have done," said Harry, resting, face-down, on Saucy Tricks for Tricky Sorts. "I should've learned to be an Animagus like Sirius."**

"And me!" James and Peter added.

**An Animagus was a wizard who could transform into an animal.**

"**Yeah, you could've turned into a goldfish any time you wanted!" said Ron.**

"**Or a frog," yawned Harry. He was exhausted.**

"**It takes years to become an Animagus, and then you have to register yourself and everything,"**

"You don't _have_ to." Sirius said, grinning.

**said Hermione vaguely, now squinting down the index of Weird Wizarding Dilemmas and Their Solutions. "Professor McGonagall told us, remember…you've got to register yourself with the Improper Use of Magic Office…what animal you become, and your markings, so you can't abuse it…"**

"How _would _you abuse it anyway?" James asked; the others shrugged.

"**Hermione, I was joking," said Harry wearily. "I know I haven't got a chance of turning into a frog by tomorrow morning…"**

"**Oh this is no use," Hermione said, snapping shut Weird Wizarding Dilemmas. "Who on earth wants to make their nose hair grow into ringlets?"**

Nearly everyone in the room laughed; Seth hissed in annoyance.

"**I wouldn't mind," said Fred Weasleys voice. "Be a talking point, wouldn't it?"**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked up. Fred and George had just emerged from behind some bookshelves.**

"**What're you two doing here?" Ron asked.**

"**Looking for you," said George. "McGonagall wants you, Ron. And you, Hermione."**

"**Why?" said Hermione, looking surprised.**

"**Dunno…she was looking a bit grim, though," said Fred.**

"**We're supposed to take you down to her office," said George.**

**Ron and Hermione stared at Harry, who felt his stomach drop. Was Professor McGonagall about to tell Ron and Hermione off? Perhaps she'd noticed how much they were helping him, when he ought to be working out how to do the task alone?**

"Please, like she expects anyone of the champions to do everything completely alone." Ginny scoffed.

"**We'll meet you back in the common room," Hermione told Harry as she got up to go with Ron - both of them looked very anxious. "Bring as many of these books as you can, okay?"**

"**Right," said Harry uneasily.**

**By ****eight o'clock**** Madam Pince had extinguished all the lamps and came to chivvy Harry out of the library. Staggering under the weight of as many books as he could carry, Harry returned to the Gryffindor common room, pulled a table into a corner, and continued to search. There was nothing in Madcap Magic for Wacky Warlocks…nothing in A Guide to Medieval Sorcery…not one mention of underwater exploits in An Anthology of Eighteenth-Century Charms, or in Dreadful Denizens of the Deep, or Powers You Never Knew You Had and What to Do with Them Now You've Wised Up.**

"I doubt the last one would help." Remus pointed out.

"It would is Harry's power he never knew he had was breathing under water." James said.

**Crookshanks crawled into Harry's lap and curled up, purring deeply. **

Sirius had a look of disgust on his face that caused the others to laugh a little.

**The common room emptied slowly around Harry. People kept wishing him luck for the next morning in cheery, confident voices like Hagrid s, all of them apparently convinced that he was about to pull off another stunning performance like the one he had managed in the first task. Harry couldn't answer them, he just nodded, feeling as though there were a golfball stuck in his throat. By ten to midnight, he was alone in the room with Crookshanks. He had searched all the remaining books, and Ron and Hermione had not come back.**

**It's over, he told himself. You can't do it. You'll just have to go down to the lake in the morning and tell the judges…**

**He imagined himself explaining that he couldn't do the task. He pictured Bagman's look of round-eyed surprise, Karkaroffs satisfied, yellow-toothed smile. He could almost hear Fleur Delacour saying "I knew it…'e is too young, 'e is only a little boy." He saw Malfoy flashing his POTTER STINKS badge at the front of the crowd, saw Hagrid's crestfallen, disbelieving face…**

"You'll think of something." James encouraged.

_Or Dobby will_, Harry thought, smiling a little.

**Forgetting that Crookshanks was on his lap, Harry stood up very suddenly; Crookshanks hissed angrily as he landed on the floor, gave Harry a disgusted look, and stalked away with his bottlebrush tail in the air, but Harry was already hurrying up the spiral staircase to his dormitory…He would grab the Invisibility Cloak and go back to the library, he'd stay there all night if he had to…**

"**Lumos," Harry whispered fifteen minutes later as he opened the library door.**

**Wand tip alight, he crept along the bookshelves, pulling down more books – books of hexes and charms, books on merpeople and water monsters, books on famous witches and wizards, on magical inventions, on anything at all that might include one passing reference to underwater survival. He carried them over to a table, then set to work, searching them by the narrow beam of his wand, occasionally checking his watch…**

**One in the morning…two in the morning…the only way he could keep going was to tell himself, over and over again, next book…in the next one…the next one…**

**The mermaid in the painting in the prefects' bathroom was laughing.**

"Huh?" Peter asked.

"He's dreaming, Wormy." James said.

**Harry was bobbing like a cork in bubbly water next to her rock, while she held his Firebolt over his head.**

"**Come and get it!" she giggled maliciously. "Come on, jump!"**

"**I can't," Harry panted, snatching at the Firebolt, and struggling not to sink. "Give it to me!"**

**But she just poked him painfully in the side with the end of the broomstick, laughing at him.**

"**That hurts - get off- ouch -"**

"**Harry Potter must wake up, sir!"**

"What?"

"**Stop poking me -"**

"**Dobby must poke Harry Potter, sir, **

"Dobby?" Sirius asked, "What's he want?"

**he must wake up!"**

**Harry opened his eyes. He was still in the library; the Invisibility Cloak had slipped off his head as he'd slept, and the side of his face was stuck to the pages of Where There's a Wand, There's a Way. He sat up, straightening his glasses, blinking in the bright daylight.**

"**Harry Potter needs to hurry!" squeaked Dobby. "The second task starts in ten minutes, and Harry Potter -"**

"**Ten minutes?" Harry croaked. "Ten - ten minutes?"**

**He looked down at his watch. Dobby was right. It was ****twenty past nine****. A large, dead weight seemed to fall through Harry's chest into his stomach.**

"**Hurry, Harry Potter!" squeaked Dobby, plucking at Harry's sleeve. "You is supposed to be down by the lake with the other champions, sir!"**

"**It's too late, Dobby," Harry said hopelessly. "I'm not doing the task, I don't know how-"**

"**Harry Potter will do the task!" squeaked the elf. "Dobby knew Harry had not found the right book, so Dobby did it for him!"**

Lily gave the book a suspicious look, "This isn't like your second year is it? Where he tried to help and nearly killed you?"

Harry chuckled, "No."

"**What?" said Harry. "But you don't know what the second task is -"**

"**Dobby knows, sir! Harry Potter has to go into the lake and find his Wheezy -"**

"**Find my what?"**

"**- and take his Wheezy back from the merpeople!"**

"**What's a Wheezy?"**

"What, in Merlin's name, is a Wheezy?" James asked.

Ron and Harry exchanged a look and smiled.

"**Your Wheezy, sir, your Wheezy-Wheezy who is giving Dobby his sweater!" **

"Ron?" Everyone from present-day asked at once.

"So, he meant 'Weasley'." Sirius said, realization in his voice.

**Dobby plucked at the shrunken maroon sweater he was now wearing over his shorts.**

"**What?" Harry gasped. "They've got…they've got Ron?"**

"**The thing Harry Potter will miss most, sir!" squeaked Dobby. "'But past an hour-'"**

"**- 'the prospect's black,'" Harry recited, staring, horror-struck, at the elf. "'Too late, it's gone, it won't come back.' Dobby - what've I got to do?"**

"**You has to eat this, sir!" squeaked the elf, and he put his hand in the pocket of his shorts and drew out a ball of what looked like slimy, grayish-green rat tails.**

"Gillyweed." Remus and Lily breathed, wondering why they hadn't thought of it before.

"Why didn't I think of that? I have that chocolate frog card." Sirius said, "It's um.."

"Glover Hipworth." Remus said, "He invented the potion."

**"Right before you go into the lake, sir - gillyweed!"**

"**What's it do?" said Harry, staring at the gillyweed.**

"**It will make Harry Potter breathe underwater, sir!"**

"**Dobby," said Harry frantically, "listen - are you sure about this?"**

**He couldn't quite forget that the last time Dobby had tried to "help" him, he had ended up with no bones in his right arm.**

"**Dobby is quite sure, sir!" said the elf earnestly. "Dobby hears things, sir, he is a house-elf, he goes all over the castle as he lights the fires and mops the floors. Dobby heard Professor McGonagall and Professor Moody in the staffroom, talking about the next task…**

Sirius rummaged around for his list and scribbled to thank 'Minnie'.

**Dobby cannot let Harry Potter lose his Wheezy!"**

**Harry's doubts vanished. Jumping to his feet he pulled off the Invisibility Cloak, stuffed it into his bag, grabbed the gillyweed, and put it into his pocket, then tore out of the library with Dobby at his heels.**

"**Dobby is supposed to be in the kitchens, sir!" Dobby squealed as they burst into the corridor. "Dobby will be missed - good luck, Harry Potter, sir, good luck!"**

"**See you later, Dobby!" Harry shouted, and he sprinted along the corridor and down the stairs, three at a time.**

**The entrance hall contained a few last-minute stragglers, all leaving the Great Hall after breakfast and heading through the double oak doors to watch the second task.**

**They stared as Harry flashed past, sending Colin and Dennis Creevey flying as he leapt down the stone steps and out onto the bright, chilly grounds.**

**As he pounded down the lawn he saw that the seats that had encircled the dragons' enclosure in November were now ranged along the opposite bank, rising in stands that were packed to the bursting point and reflected in the lake below. The excited babble of the crowd echoed strangely across the water as Harry ran flat-out around the other side of the lake toward the judges, who were sitting at another golddraped table at the water's edge. Cedric, Fleur, and Krum were beside the judges' table, watching Harry sprint toward them.**

"**I'm…here…" Harry panted, skidding to a halt in the mud and accidentally splattering Fleurs robes.**

"**Where have you been?" said a bossy, disapproving voice. "The task's about to start!"**

**Harry looked around. Percy Weasley was sitting at the judges' table **

Sirius and James both made gagging motions.

**- Mr. Crouch had failed to turn up again.**

"**Now, now, Percy!" said Ludo Bagman, who was looking intensely relieved to see Harry. "Let him catch his breath!"**

**Dumbledore smiled at Harry, but Karkaroff and Madame Maxime didn't look at all pleased to see him…It was obvious from the looks on their faces that they had thought he wasn't going to turn up.**

**Harry bent over, hands on his knees, gasping for breath; he had a stitch in his side that felt as though he had a knife between his ribs, but there was no time to get rid of it; Ludo Bagman was now moving among the champions, spacing them along the bank at intervals of ten feet. Harry was on the very end of the line, next to Krum, who was wearing swimming trunks and was holding his wand ready.**

"**All right Harry?" Bagman whispered as he moved Harry a few feet farther away from Krum. "Know what you're going to do?"**

"**Yeah," Harry panted, massaging his ribs.**

James eyed the book, not sure that he liked Ludo Bagman much anymore.

**Bagman gave Harry's shoulder a quick squeeze and returned to the judges' table; he pointed his wand at his throat as he had done at the World Cup, said, "Sonorus!" and his voice boomed out across the dark water toward the stands.**

"**Well, all our champions are ready for the second task, which will start on my whistle. They have precisely an hour to recover what has been taken from them. On the count of three, then. One…two…three!"**

**The whistle echoed shrilly in the cold, still air; the stands erupted with cheers and applause; without looking to see what the other champions were doing, Harry pulled off his shoes and socks, pulled the handful of gillyweed out of his pocket, stuffed it into his mouth, and waded out into the lake.**

**It was so cold he felt the skin on his legs searing as though this were fire, not icy water. **

"He should've used a heating spell." Lily said worriedly.

**His sodden robes weighed him down as he walked in deeper; now the water was over his knees, and his rapidly numbing feet were slipping over silt and flat, slimy stones. He was chewing the gillyweed as hard and fast as he could; it felt unpleasantly slimy and rubbery, like octopus tentacles. Waist-deep in the freezing water he stopped, swallowed, and waited for something to happen.**

**He could hear laughter in the crowd and knew he must look stupid, walking into the lake without showing any sign of magical power. The part of him that was still dry was covered in goose pimples; half immersed in the icy water, a cruel breeze lifting his hair, Harry started to shiver violently. He avoided looking at the stands; the laughter was becoming louder, and there were catcalls and jeering from the Slytherins…**

**Then, quite suddenly, Harry felt as though an invisible pillow had been pressed over his mouth and nose. **

"The gillyweed's working then, that's good." Remus said, nodding approvingly.

**He tried to draw breath, but it made his head spin; his lungs were empty, and he suddenly felt a piercing pain on either side of his neck-**

"He has gills." Sirius said with a grin.

**Harry clapped his hands around his throat and felt two large slits just below his ears, flapping in the cold air…He had gills. Without pausing to think, he did the only thing that made sense - he flung himself forward into the water.**

**The first gulp of icy lake water felt like the breath of life. His head had stopped spinning; he took another great gulp of water and felt it pass smoothly through his gills, sending oxygen back to his brain. He stretched out his hands in front of him and stared at them. They looked green and ghostly under the water, and they had become webbed. He twisted around and looked at his bare feet - they had become elongated and the toes were webbed too:**

**It looked as though he had sprouted flippers.**

"Cool." James said.

Sirius made a note on his parchment to acquire and test out some gillyweed.

**The water didn't feel icy anymore either…on the contrary, he felt pleasantly cool and very light…Harry struck out once more, marveling at how far and fast his flipper-like feet propelled him through the water, and noticing how clearly he could see, and how he no longer seemed to need to blink. He had soon swum so far into the lake that he could no longer see the bottom. He flipped over and dived into its depths.**

**Silence pressed upon his ears as he soared over a strange, dark, foggy landscape. He could only see ten feet around him, so that as he sped through the water new scenes seemed to loom suddenly out of the incoming darkness: forests of rippling, tangled black weed, wide plains of mud littered with dull, glimmering stones. He swam deeper and deeper, out toward the middle of the lake, his eyes wide, staring through the eerily gray-lit water around him to the shadow beyond, where the water became opaque.**

**Small fish flickered past him like silver darts. Once or twice he thought he saw something larger moving ahead of him, but when he got nearer, he discovered it to be nothing but a large, blackened log, or a dense clump of weed. There was no sign of any of the other champions, merpeople, Ron - nor, thankfully, the giant squid.**

**Light green weed stretched ahead of him as far as he could see, two feet deep, like a meadow of very overgrown grass. Harry was staring unblinkingly ahead of him, trying to discern shapes through the gloom…and then, without warning, something grabbed hold of his ankle.**

**Harry twisted his body around and saw a grindylow, a small, horned water demon, poking out of the weed, its long fingers clutched tightly around Harry's leg, its pointed fangs bared - Harry stuck his webbed hand quickly inside his robes and fumbled for his wand. By the time he had grasped it, two more grindylows had risen out of the weed, had seized handfuls of Harry's robes, and were attempting to drag him down.**

"**Relashio!" Harry shouted, except that no sound came out…A large bubble issued from his mouth, and his wand, instead of sending sparks at the grindylows, pelted them with what seemed to be a jet of boiling water, for where it struck them, angry red patches appeared on their green skin. **

"Whoa, what spell did he say?" James asked curiously.

**Harry pulled his ankle out of the grindylows grip and swam, as fast as he could, occasionally sending more jets of hot water over his shoulder at random; every now and then he felt one of the grindylows snatch at his foot again, and he kicked out, hard; finally, he felt his foot connect with a horned skull,**

**and looking back, saw the dazed grindylow floating away, cross-eyed, while its fellows shook their fists at Harry and sank back into the weed.**

**Harry slowed down a little, slipped his wand back inside his robes, and looked around, listening again. He turned full circle in the water, the silence pressing harder than ever against his eardrums. He knew he must be even deeper in the lake now, but nothing was moving but the rippling weed.**

"**How are you getting on?"**

**Harry thought he was having a heart attack. He whipped around and saw Moaning Myrtle floating hazily in front of him,**

James let out a small squeak of terror, causing Sirius to dissolve into laughter.

James glared at him, picked up a stress ball, and hit Sirius in the stomach with it.

"Ow." Sirius muttered, finding it difficult to glare at James while he was lying on the floor.

**gazing at him through her thick, pearly glasses.**

"**Myrtle!" Harry tried to shout - but once again, nothing came out of his mouth but a very large bubble. Moaning Myrtle actually giggled.**

"**You want to try over there!" she said, pointing. **

"At least she's helpful." Ron pointed out; James snorted in disbelief.

**"I won't come with you…I don't like them much, they always chase me when I get too close…"**

"Don't blame them." Harry muttered.

James gave him an approving grin.

**Harry gave her the thumbs-up to show his thanks and set off once more, careful to swim a bit higher over the weed to avoid any more grindylows that might be lurking there.**

**He swam on for what felt like at least twenty minutes. He was passing over vast expanses of black mud now, which swirled murkily as he disturbed the water. Then, at long last, he heard a snatch of haunting mersong.**

"**An hour long you'll have to look,**

**And to recover what we took…"**

**Harry swam faster and soon saw a large rock emerge out of the muddy water ahead. It had paintings of merpeople on it; they were carrying spears and chasing what looked like the giant squid. Harry swam on past the rock, following the mersong.**

"…**your time's half gone, so tarry not**

**Lest what you seek stays here to rot…"**

**A cluster of crude stone dwellings stained with algae loomed suddenly out of the gloom on all sides. Here and there at the dark windows, Harry saw faces…faces that bore no resemblance at all to the painting of the mermaid in the prefects' bathroom…**

**The merpeople had grayish skin and long, wild, dark green hair. Their eyes were yellow, as were their broken teeth, and they wore thick ropes of pebbles around their necks. **

Nearly everyone shuddered at the mental image; Seth gave a small hiss of fascination.

**They leered at Harry as he swam past; one or two of them emerged from their caves to watch him better, their powerful, silver fish tails beating the water, spears clutched in their hands.**

**Harry sped on, staring around, and soon the dwellings became more numerous; there were gardens of weed around some of them, and he even saw a pet grindylow tied to a stake outside one door. **

"Ugh."

**Merpeople were emerging on all sides now, watching him eagerly, pointing at his webbed hands and gills, talking behind their hands to one another. **

"Polite, aren't they?" Sirius remarked sarcastically.

**Harry sped around a corner and a very strange sight met his eyes.**

**A whole crowd of merpeople was floating in front of the houses that lined what looked like a mer-version of a village square. A choir of merpeople was singing in the middle, calling the champions toward them, and behind them rose a crude sort of statue; a gigantic merperson hewn from a boulder. Four people were bound tightly to the tail of the stone merperson.**

**Ron was tied between Hermione and Cho Chang. There was also a girl who looked no older than eight, whose clouds of silvery hair made Harry feel sure that she was Fleur Delacour's sister. **

"So, Harry has to get Ron, Cedric gets Cho Chang, Fluer gets her sister so Krum gets Hermione?" Peter asked.

The others nodded and Ron shot the book a glare, making Hermione roll her eyes.

**All four of them appeared to be in a very deep sleep. Their heads were lolling onto their shoulders, and fine streams of bubbles kept issuing from their mouths.**

**Harry sped toward the hostages, half expecting the merpeople to lower their spears and charge at him, but they did nothing. The ropes of weed tying the hostages to the statue were thick, slimy, and very strong. For a fleeting second he thought of the knife Sirius had bought him for Christmas - locked in his trunk in the castle a quarter of a mile away, no use to him whatsoever.**

"D-" Sirius caught himself with a glance at Lily, "Darn."

Lily gave him a look.

**He looked around. Many of the merpeople surrounding them were carrying spears. He swam swiftly toward a seven-foot-tall merman with a long green beard and a choker of shark fangs and tried to mime a request to borrow the spear. The merman laughed and shook his head.**

"**We do not help," he said in a harsh, croaky voice.**

"**Come ON!" Harry said fiercely (but only bubbles issued from his mouth), and he tried to pull the spear away from the merman, but the merman yanked it back, still shaking his head and laughing.**

James and Sirius huffed angrily as Seth snickered.

**Harry swirled around, staring about. Something sharp…anything…**

**There were rocks littering the lake bottom. He dived and snatched up a particularly jagged one and returned to the statue. He began to hack at the ropes binding Ron, and after several minutes' hard work, they broke apart. Ron floated, unconscious, a few inches above the lake bottom, drifting a little in the ebb of the water.**

**Harry looked around. There was no sign of any of the other champions. What were they playing at? Why didn't they hurry up? He turned back to Hermione, raised the jagged rock, and began to hack at her bindings too –**

**At once, several pairs of strong gray hands seized him. Half a dozen mermen were pulling him away from Hermione, shaking their green-haired heads, and laughing.**

"He can only get his own..."

"**You take your own hostage," one of them said to him. "Leave the others…"**

"**No way!" said Harry furiously - but only two large bubbles came out.**

"**Your task is to retrieve your own friend…leave the others…"**

"**She's my friend too!" Harry yelled, gesturing toward Hermione, an enormous silver bubble emerging soundlessly from his lips. "And I don't want them to die either!"**

**Cho's head was on Hermiones shoulder; the small silver-haired girl was ghostly green and pale. Harry struggled to fight off the mermen, but they laughed harder than ever, holding him back. Harry looked wildly around. Where were the other champions? Would he have time to take Ron to the surface and come back down for Hermione and the others? Would he be able to find them again? He looked down at his watch to see how much time was left - it had stopped working.**

**But then the merpeople around him pointed excitedly over his head. Harry looked up and saw Cedric swimming toward them. There was an enormous bubble around his head, which made his features look oddly wide and stretched.**

"**Got lost!" he mouthed, looking panic-stricken. "Fleur and Krum're coming now!"**

**Feeling enormously relieved, Harry watched Cedric pull a knife out of his pocket and cut Cho free. He pulled her upward and out of sight.**

**Harry looked around, waiting. Where were Fleur and Krum? Time was getting short, and according to the song, the hostages would be lost after an hour…**

"Dumbledore wouldn't let anything happen to them." Remus reasoned.

"I hadn't thought of that, you're probably right-" James said.

"As usual." Sirius put in.

"Harry should just take Ron and go."

Harry muttered something under his breath before continuing.

**The merpeople started screeching animatedly. Those holding Harry loosened their grip, staring behind them. Harry turned and saw something monstrous cutting through the water toward them: a human body in swimming trunks with the head of a shark…It was Krum. He appeared to have transfigured himself- but badly.**

James and Sirius both gave the book a superior look, Transfiguration had always been there best subject.

**The shark-man swam straight to Hermione and began snapping and biting at her ropes; the trouble was that Krum's new teeth were positioned very awkwardly for biting anything smaller than a dolphin, and Harry was quite sure that if Krum wasn't careful, he was going to rip Hermione in half. **

Hermione and Ron both looked appalled, having not seen this.

**Darting forward Harry hit Krum hard on the shoulder and held up the jagged stone. Krum seized it and began to cut Hermione free. Within seconds, he had done it; he grabbed Hermione around the waist, and without a backward glance, began to rise rapidly with her toward the surface.**

**Now what? Harry thought desperately. If he could be sure that Fleur was coming…But still no sign. There was nothing to be done except…**

**He snatched up the stone, which Krum had dropped, but the mermen now closed in around Ron and the little girl, shaking their heads at him. Harry pulled out his wand.**

"**Get out of the way!"**

**Only bubbles flew out of his mouth, but he had the distinct impression that the mermen had understood him, because they suddenly stopped laughing. Their yellowish eyes were fixed upon Harry's wand, and they looked scared. There might be a lot more of them than there were of him, but Harry could tell, by the looks on their faces, that they knew no more magic than the giant squid did.**

"**You've got until three!" Harry shouted; a great stream of bubbles burst from him, but he held up three fingers to make sure they got the message. "One…" (he put down a finger) "two…" (he put down a second one) - They scattered. **

The Marauders all gave Harry an approving look and he smiled.

**Harry darted forward and began to hack at the ropes binding the small girl to the statue, and at last she was free. He seized the little girl around the waist, grabbed the neck of Rons robes, and kicked off from the bottom.**

**It was very slow work. He could no longer use his webbed hands to propel himself forward; he worked his flippers furiously, but Ron and Fleur's sister were like potato-filled sacks dragging him back down…**

Ron muttered something darkly and Harry laughed.

**He fixed his eyes skyward, though he knew he must still be very deep, the water above him was so dark…**

**Merpeople were rising with him. He could see them swirling around him with ease, watching him struggle through the water…Would they pull him back down to the depths when the time was up? Did they perhaps eat humans?**

"What humans go swimming in the lake willingly?" James asked.

"Krum did." Remus pointed out.

"Your point?" Ron asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

** Harry's legs were seizing up with the effort to keep swimming; his shoulders were aching horribly with the effort of dragging Ron and the girl…**

Ron frowned.

**He was drawing breath with extreme difficulty. He could feel pain on the sides of his neck again…he was becoming very aware of how wet the water was in his mouth…yet the darkness was definitely thinning now…he could see daylight above him…**

**He kicked hard with his flippers and discovered that they were nothing more than feet…water was flooding through his mouth into his lungs…he was starting to feel dizzy, but he knew light and air were only ten feet above him…he had to get there…he had to…**

Everyone from present-day exchanged a worried look.

**Harry kicked his legs so hard and fast it felt as though his muscles were screaming in protest; his very brain felt waterlogged, he couldn't breathe, he needed oxygen, he had to keep going, he could not stop –**

**And then he felt his head break the surface of the lake; wonderful, cold, clear air was making his wet face sting; he gulped it down, feeling as though he had never breathed properly before, and panting, pulled Ron and the little girl up with him. All around him, wild, green-haired heads**

"The merpeople? What do they want?" Sirius asked.

** were emerging out of the water with him, but they were smiling at him.**

"That's good...I guess." Peter muttered.

**The crowd in the stands was making a great deal of noise; shouting and screaming, they all seemed to be on their feet; Harry had the impression they thought that Ron and the little girl might be dead, but they were wrong…both of them had opened their eyes; the girl looked scared and confused, but Ron merely expelled a great spout of water, blinked in the bright light, turned to Harry, and said, "Wet, this, isn't it?" **

Sirius and James laughed.

**Then he spotted Fleur's sister. "What did you bring her for?"**

"**Fleur didn't turn up, I couldn't leave her," Harry panted.**

"**Harry, you prat," said Ron, "you didn't take that song thing seriously, did you? Dumbledore wouldn't have let any of us drown!"**

"**The song said -"**

"**It was only to make sure you got back inside the time limit!" said Ron. "I hope you didn't waste time down there acting the hero!"**

**Harry felt both stupid and annoyed. It was all very well for Ron; he'd been asleep,**

"Well." Ron said; Harry grinned at him.

** he hadn't felt how eerie it was down in the lake, surrounded by spear-carrying merpeople who'd looked more than capable of murder.**

"**C'mon," Harry said shortly, "help me with her, I don't think she can swim very well."**

**They pulled Fleur's sister through the water, back toward the bank where the judges stood watching, twenty merpeople accompanying them like a guard of honor, singing their horrible screechy songs.**

**Harry could see Madam Pomfrey fussing over Hermione, Krum, Cedric, and Cho, all of whom were wrapped in thick blankets.**

"Well, they need it, don't they? The water must have been freezing."

**Dumbledore and Ludo Bagman stood beaming at Harry and Ron from the bank as they swam nearer, but Percy, who looked very white and somehow much younger than usual, came splashing out to meet them. **

"Er-OK?"

**Meanwhile Madame Maxime was trying to restrain Fleur Delacour, who was quite hysterical, fighting tooth and nail to return to the water.**

"**Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she alive? Is she 'urt?"**

"**She's fine!" Harry tried to tell her, but he was so exhausted he could hardly talk, let alone shout.**

Lily and James gave the book a concerned look.

**Percy seized Ron and was dragging him back to the bank ("Gerroff, Percy, I'm all right!"); Dumbledore and Bagman were pulling Harry upright; Fleur had broken free of Madame Maxime and was hugging her sister.**

"**It was ze grindylows…zey attacked me…oh Gabrielle, I thought…I thought…"**

"**Come here, you," said Madam Pomfrey. She seized Harry and pulled him over to Hermione and the others, wrapped him so tightly in a blanket that he felt as though he were in a straitjacket, and forced a measure of very hot potion down his throat.**

**Steam gushed out of his ears.**

"Pepper-Up Potion." Remus said.

"Know it all." Sirius joked.

"**Harry, well done!" Hermione cried. "You did it, you found out how all by yourself!"**

"Not exactly."

"**Well -" said Harry. He would have told her about Dobby, but he had just noticed Karkaroff watching him. He was the only judge who had not left the table; the only judge not showing signs of pleasure and relief that Harry, Ron, and Fleur's sister had got back safely. "Yeah, that's right," said Harry, raising his voice slightly so that Karkaroff could hear him.**

"**You haff a water beetle in your hair, Herm-own-ninny," said Krum. Harry had the impression that Krum was drawing her attention back onto himself; **

"Pompous git." Ron murmured.

**perhaps to remind her that he had just rescued her from the lake, but Hermione brushed away the beetle impatiently and said, "You're well outside the time limit, though, Harry…Did it take you ages to find us?"**

"**No…I found you okay…"**

"He was first." James remembered, frowning.

**Harry's feeling of stupidity was growing. Now he was out of the water, it seemed perfectly clear that Dumbledores safety precautions wouldn't have permitted the death of a hostage just because their champion hadn't turned up. Why hadn't he just grabbed Ron and gone? He would have been first back…Cedric and Krum hadn't wasted time worrying about anyone else; they hadn't taken the mersong seriously…**

**Dumbledore was crouching at the water's edge, deep in conversation with what seemed to be the chief merperson, a particularly wild and ferocious-looking female. He was making the same sort of screechy noises that the merpeople made when they were above water; clearly, Dumbledore could speak Mermish. **

"Weird."

**Finally he straightened up, turned to his fellow judges, and said, "A conference before we give the marks, I think."**

**The judges went into a huddle. Madam Pomfrey had gone to rescue Ron from Percy's clutches; she led him over to Harry and the others, gave him a blanket and some Pepperup Potion, then went to fetch Fleur and her sister. Fleur had many cuts on her face and arms and her robes were torn, but she didn't seem to care, nor would she allow Madam Pomfrey to clean them.**

"**Look after Gabrielle," she told her, and then she turned to Harry. "You saved 'er," she said breathlessly. "Even though she was not your 'ostage."**

"**Yeah," said Harry, who was now heartily wishing he'd left all three girls tied to the statue.**

**Fleur bent down, kissed Harry twice on each cheek (he felt his face burn and wouldn't have been surprised if steam was coming out of his ears again), then said to Ron, "And you too-you 'elped"**

"Not really."

"**Yeah," said Ron, looking extremely hopeful, "yeah, a bit -"**

**Fleur swooped down on him too and kissed him. Hermione looked simply furious, **

Seth, Sirius and James all snickered.

**just then, Ludo Bagman's magically magnified voice boomed out beside them, making them all jump, and causing the crowd in the stands to go very quiet.**

"**Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our decision. Merchieftainess Murcus has told us exactly what happened at the bottom of the lake, and we have therefore decided to award marks out of fifty for each of the champions, as follows…**

"**Fleur Delacour, though she demonstrated excellent use of the Bubble-Head Charm, was attacked by grindylows as she approached her goal, and failed to retrieve her hostage. We award her twenty-five points."**

**Applause from the stands.**

"**I deserved zero," said Fleur throatily, shaking her magnificent head.**

"**Cedric Diggory, who also used the Bubble-Head Charm, was first to return with his hostage, though he returned one minute outside the time limit of an hour."**

"Cedric was first wasn't he?" Sirius asked; Remus nodded.

"That means Harry was really late." James said.

**Enormous cheers from the Hufflepuffs in the crowd; Harry saw Cho give Cedric a glowing look.**

"**We therefore award him forty-seven points."**

**Harry's heart sank. If Cedric had been outside the time limit, he most certainly had been.**

"**Viktor Krum used an incomplete form of Transfiguration, which was nevertheless effective, and was second to return with his hostage. We award him forty points."**

**Karkaroff clapped particularly hard, looking very superior.**

"Pompous git." Sirius muttered.

"**Harry Potter used gillyweed to great effect," Bagman continued. "He returned last, and well outside the time limit of an hour. However, the Merchieftainess**

"What?"

** informs us that Mr. Potter was first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all hostages to safety, not merely his own."**

Harry frowned.

**Ron and Hermione both gave Harry half-exasperated, half-commiserating looks.**

"**Most of the judges," and here, Bagman gave Karkaroff a very nasty look, **

Everyone laughed.

**"feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However…Mr. Potter's score is forty-five points."**

"That puts him in second, doesn't it?" James said, excited.

Remus shook his head and thought, "No, I think he's tied for first."

"Even better!"

**Harry's stomach leapt - he was now tied for first place with Cedric. Ron and Hermione, caught by surprise, stared at Harry, then laughed and started applauding hard with the rest of the crowd.**

"**There you go. Harry!" Ron shouted over the noise. "You weren't being thick after all - you were showing moral fiber!"**

**Fleur was clapping very hard too, but Krum didn't look happy at all. He attempted to engage Hermione in conversation again, but she was too busy cheering Harry to listen.**

"**The third and final task will take place at dusk on the twenty-fourth of June," continued Bagman. "The champions will be notified of what is coming precisely one month beforehand. Thank you all for your support of the champions."**

"Wonder what it could be." Sirius said, looking thoughtful.

Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ginny all exchanged a look and paled.

"What is it? Something bad happens, doesn't it?" Lily said, looking worried.

Harry nodded, not elaborating.

**It was over. Harry thought dazedly, as Madam Pomfrey began herding the champions and hostages back to the castle to get into dry clothes…it was over, he had got through…he didn't have to worry about anything now until June the twenty-fourth…**

"Then you'll have quite a bit to worry about." Hermione said. Harry nodded.

**Next time he was in Hogsmeade, Harry decided as he walked back up the stone steps into the castle, he was going to buy Dobby a pair of socks for every day of the year.**

"That's a lot of socks!" Sirius said.

"Chapter's done." Harry said, giving

**

* * *

**

**Author's Note: Yay! Updates! Sorry it's been awhile, ( :( )I've just been doing other things on the computer recently. I've been looking up information on Harvest Moon: Animal Parade and The Beatles Rockband like crazy. -smiles sheepishly-(You have no idea how idea how much I have been researching Animal Parade...it's kinda sad really lol) **

**Oh, and 'member how I updated really fast on 'Boredom Attack'? That was 'cause POA is my favorite Harry Potter book. And GOF is my least favorite, which is why updates have been slow. :) I like OOTP (lot's of Sirius :D) though, so once we get through this updates should be faster.**


	29. Ugh

**Author's Note:**

** My computer broke and I'm not sure if I'll be able to fix it. **

**This means that all 7 Harry Potter books, which I had saved, I don't have anymore.**

** I'm not sure if the site I got them from will still have them and I have another computer so it may be a while before I can update. -_- **

**I'm really sorry, I DO have the book-part of Padfoot Returns on DocX so it should come sometime relatively soon.  
**


	30. Padfoot and 14hp1! Returns

**Author's Note: I'm not going to bother with excuses because there really are no excuses for not updating since...what's it been...July of '09? Yikes.  
**

**But, Merry Christmas/Happy New Year/Happy Valentine's Day/St. Patrick's Day/Easter/any other holidays that have passed while I've been failing to update! -grimaces-  
**

**

* * *

****CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN**

**PADFOOT RETURNS**

Sirius gave a small squeak of excitement and asked James, "Can I read my lines again?"

James considered this for a moment, Sirius _had_ gotten into character and made reading it much more interesting, "Alright."

Sirius came over to his and Lily's couch and sat on the arm, leaning over James' shoulder.

**One of the best things about the aftermath of the second task was that everybody was very keen to hear details of what had happened down in the lake, which meant that Ron was getting to share Harry's limelight for once. Harry noticed that Ron's version of events changed subtly with every retelling.**

"Of course." James said, smiling.

**At first, he gave what seemed to be the truth; it tallied with Hermione's story, anyway-Dumbledore had put all the hostages into a bewitched sleep in Professor McGonagall's office, first assuring them that they would be quite safe, and would awake when they were back above the water. One week later, however, Ron was telling a thrilling tale of kidnap in which he struggled single-handedly against fifty heavily armed merpeople who had to beat him into submission before tying him up.**

Everyone in the room laughed, including Ron.

**"But I had my wand hidden up my sleeve," he assured Padma Patil, who seemed to be a lot keener on Ron now that he was getting so much attention and was making a point of talking to him every time they passed in the corridors. "I could've taken those mer-idiots any time I wanted."  
**

**"What were you going to do, snore at them?" said Hermione waspishly. People had been teasing her so much about being the thing that Viktor Krum would most miss that she was in a rather tetchy mood.**

**Ron's ears went red, and thereafter, he reverted to the bewitched sleep version of events.  
**

**As they entered March the weather became drier, but cruel winds skinned their hands and faces every time they went out onto the grounds. There were delays in the post because the owls kept being blown off course. The brown owl that Harry had sent to Sirius with the dates of the Hogsmeade weekend turned up at breakfast on Friday morning with half its feathers sticking up the wrong way; Harry had no sooner torn off Sirius's reply than it took flight, clearly afraid it was going to be sent outside again.**

"Poor thing." Lily said.

**Sirius's letter was almost as short as the previous one.**

James held the book up a bit so Sirius could see, "It's not _really_ talking but..."

**_Be at stile at end of road out of Hogsmeade (past Dervish and Banges) at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Bring as much food as you can._**

"I must be starving!" Sirius shouted.

"On the run from the ministry with a stolen hippogriff and your worried about food." Remus said teasingly.

**"He hasn't come back to Hogsmeade?" said Ron incredulously.  
**

**"It looks like it, doesn't it?" said Hermione.  
**

**"I can't believe him," said Harry tensely, "if he's caught…"**

"I won't be; I'm a Marauder, aren't I?"

**"Made it so far, though, hasn't he?" said Ron. "And it's not like the place is swarming with dementors anymore."**

The room shared a collective shudder.

**Harry folded up the letter, thinking. If he was honest with himself, he really wanted to see Sirius again. **

"Even if it isn't very safe." Harry mumbled; Sirius glared at him.

**He therefore approached the final lesson of the afternoon-double Potions**

"Ugh."

** -feeling considerably more cheerful than he usually did when descending the steps to the dungeons.  
**

**Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in a huddle outside the classroom door with Pansy Parkinson's gang of Slytherin girls. All of them were looking at something Harry couldn't see and sniggering heartily. **

"I don't like the sound of this." Lily said suspiciously.

**Pansys pug-like face peered excitedly around Goyle's broad back as Harry, Ron, and Hermione approached.  
**

**"There they are, there they are!" she giggled, and the knot of Slytherins broke apart. Harry saw that Pansy had a magazine in her hands - Witch Weekly. The moving picture on the front showed a curly-haired witch who was smiling toothily and pointing at a large sponge cake with her wand.  
**

**"You might find something to interest you in there, Granger!" Pansy said loudly, and she threw the magazine at Hermione, who caught it, looking startled. At that moment, the dungeon door opened, and Snape beckoned them all inside.  
**

**Hermione, Harry, and Ron headed for a table at the back of the dungeon as usual. Once Snape had turned his back on them to write up the ingredients of todays potion on the blackboard, Hermione hastily rifled through the magazine under the desk. At last, in the center pages, Hermione found what they were looking for.  
**

**Harry and Ron leaned in closer. A color photograph of Harry headed a short piece entitled:  
**

**_Harry Potter's Secret Heartache_**

Remus let out a small groan, realizing where this was going.

**_A boy like no other, perhaps-yet a boy suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence, writes Rita Skeeter._**

"Yuck."

**_ Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his parents,_**

"'Deprived of love', my arse." James growled.

**_ fourteen-year-old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in his steady girlfriend at Hogwarts, Muggle-born Hermione Granger. _**

"WHAT?"

**_Little did he know that he would shortly be suffering yet another emotional blow in a life already littered with personal loss.  
_**

**_Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl, seems to have a taste for famous wizards that Harry alone cannot satisfy. Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Viktor Krum, Bulgarian Seeker and hero of the last World Quidditch Cup, Miss Granger has been toying with both boys' affections. _**

"Has not."

**_Krum, who is openly smitten with the devious Miss Granger, has already invited her to visit him in Bulgaria over the summer holidays, and insists that he has "never felt this way about any other girl."  
_**

**_However, it might not be Miss Granger's doubtful natural charms that have captured these unfortunate boys' interest.  
_**

**_"She's really ugly," says Pansy Parkinson, a pretty and vivacious fourth-year student, "but she'd be well up to making a Love Potion, she's quite brainy. I think that's how she's doing it."_**

Everyone refrained from saying anything, fuming silently.

**_Love Potions are, of course, banned at Hogwarts, and no doubt Albus Dumbledore will want to investigate these claims. In the meantime, Harry Potter's well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart on a worthier candidate._  
**

**"I told you!" Ron hissed at Hermione as she stared down at the article. "I told you not to annoy Rita Skeeter! She's made you out to be some sort of- of scarlet woman!"**

Most of the room burst into laughter, and Ron blushed.

**Hermione stopped looking astonished and snorted with laughter. "Scarlet woman?" she repeated, shaking with suppressed giggles as she looked around at Ron.  
**

**"It's what my mum calls them," Ron muttered, his ears going red.  
**

**"If that's the best Rita can do, she's losing her touch," said Hermione, still giggling, as she threw Witch Weekly onto the empty chair beside her. "What a pile of old rubbish."**

Everyone nodded approvingly.

**She looked over at the Slytherins, who were all watching her and Harry closely across the room to see if they had been upset by the article. Hermione gave them a sarcastic smile and a wave, and she, Harry, and Ron started unpacking the ingredients they would need for their Wit-Sharpening Potion.**

"I hate potions," James growled.

**"There's something funny, though," said Hermione ten minutes later, holding her pestle suspended over a bowl of scarab beetles. "How could Rita Skeeter have known…?"  
**

**"Known what?" said Ron quickly. "You haven't been mixing up Love Potions, have you?"  
**

**"Don't be stupid," Hermione snapped, starting to pound up her beetles again. "No, it's just…how did she know Viktor asked me to visit him over the summer?"**

"Ron'll be pleased."

Ron blushed furiously.

**Hermione blushed scarlet as she said this and determinedly avoided Ron's eyes.  
**

**"What?" said Ron, dropping his pestle with a loud clunk.  
**

**"He asked me right after he'd pulled me out of the lake," Hermione muttered. "After he'd got rid of his shark's head. Madam Pomfrey gave us both blankets and then he sort of pulled me away from the judges so they wouldn't hear, and he said, if I wasn't doing anything over the summer, would I like to -"  
**

**"And what did you say?" said Ron, who had picked up his pestle and was grinding it on the desk, a good six inches from his bowl, because he was looking at Hermione.**

Everyone burst into laughter.

**"And he did say he'd never felt the same way about anyone else," Hermione went on, going so red now that Harry could almost feel the heat coming from her, "but how could Rita Skeeter have heard him? She wasn't there…or was she? Maybe she has got an Invisibility Cloak; **

"Doubt it," James said, looking proud and superior.

**maybe she sneaked onto the grounds to watch the second task…"  
**

"Someone would have seen." Remus said, lost in thought.

Sirius leaned over and snapped his fingers in front of Remus' face and said sternly, "Oi, pay attention!"

Remus glared at him a bit for interrupting his thoughts but put his attention back on the book.

**"And what did you say?" Ron repeated, pounding his pestle down so hard that it dented the desk.**

The room was filled once more with the sound of nearly everyone snickering

**"Well, I was too busy seeing whether you and Harry were okay to-"  
**

**"Fascinating though your social life undoubtedly is Miss Granger," said an icy voice right behind them, and all three of them jumped, "I must ask you not to discuss it in my class. Ten points from Gryffindor."**

Sirius growled at the book but said nothing because of the look Lily was giving him.

**Snape had glided**

"I don't know if 'glided' is a proper adjective to describe Snivelllus with," Sirius said, "It makes him sound too...graceful."

** over to their desk while they were talking. The whole class was now looking around at them; Malfoy took the opportunity to flash POTTER STINKS across the dungeon at Harry.**

"Git"

**"Ah…reading magazines under the table as well?" Snape added, snatching up the copy of Witch Weekly. "A further ten points from Gryffindor…oh but of course…" Snapes black eyes glittered as they fell on Rita Skeeter's article. "Potter has to keep up with his press cuttings…"  
**

**The dungeon rang with the Slytherins' laughter, and an unpleasant smile curled Snape's thin mouth. To Harry's fury, he began to read the article aloud.**

"That-!" Sirius started to shout but was cut off by Lily's stern look and Remus' warning of, "Language Padfoot."

**"'Harry Potter's Secret Heartache…dear, dear. Potter, what's ailing you now? 'A boy like no other, perhaps…'"**

Sirius had taken to fuming silently as James read, his voice shaking slightly with anger.

**Harry could feel his face burning. Snape was pausing at the end of every sentence to allow the Slytherins a hearty laugh. The article sounded ten times worse when read by Snape. Even Hermione was blushing scarlet now.**

Sirius suddenly remembered his lists and took to writing on it.

**"'…Harry Potter's well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart upon a worthier candidate.' How very touching," sneered Snape, rolling up the magazine to continued gales of laughter from the Slytherins. "Well, I think I had better separate the three of you, so you can keep your minds on your potions rather than on your tangled love lives. **

"WHAT?" Sirius shouted, causing Remus to cover his ears and glare at him.

**Weasley, you stay here. Miss Granger, over there, beside Miss Parkinson. Potter - that table in front of my desk. Move. Now."**

Sirius was muttering under his breath as he ignored Lily's look.

**Furious, Harry threw his ingredients and his bag into his cauldron and dragged it up to the front of the dungeon to the empty table. Snape followed, sat down at his desk and watched Harry unload his cauldron. Determined not to look at Snape, Harry resumed the mashing of his scarab beetles, imagining each one to have Snape's face.**

Everyone laughed and Ron high-fived Harry.

**"All this press attention seems to have inflated your already over-large head Potter," said Snape quietly,  
**

"He's not _James_!" Sirius growled.

"Hey!" James protested.

"It's true, Prongs."

** once the rest of the class had settled down again. Harry didn't answer. **

"Clearly his temper isn't as bad as Sirius' or Lily's," James said. He earned himself glares from the two before they realized they were only proving his point and stopped.

**He knew Snape was trying to provoke him; he had done this before. No doubt he was hoping for an excuse to take around fifty points from Gryffindor before the end of the class.  
**

**"You might be laboring under the delusion that the entire wizarding world is impressed with you," Snape went on, so quietly that no one else could hear him (Harry continued to pound his scarab beetles, even though he had already reduced them to a very fine powder), "but I don't care how many times your picture appears in the papers. To me Potter, you are nothing but a nasty little boy who considers rules to be beneath him."  
**

**Harry tipped the powdered beetles into his cauldron and started cutting up his ginger roots. His hands were shaking slightly out of anger, but he kept his eyes down, as though he couldn't hear what Snape was saying to him.  
**

**"So I give you fair warning, Potter," Snape continued in a sorter and more dangerous voice, "pint-sized celebrity or not - if I catch you breaking into my office one more time -"**

"He hasn't broken into your office!"

"You should feel lucky he hasn't broken your huge, greasy nose!"

**"I haven't been anywhere near your office!" said Harry angrily, forgetting his feigned deafness.**

"He's healed! It's a miracle!" Sirius shouted dramatically, throwing his arms into the air.

"Bet Snape won't look at it as a miracle."

**"Don't lie to me," Snape hissed, his fathomless black eyes boring into Harry's. "Boomslang skin. Gillyweed. Both come from my private stores, and I know who stole them."**

Boomslang skin is used in Polyjuice Potion, right?" Remus asked uncertainly, remembering the trio's use of it in their second year.

Hermione nodded as Harry added, "And Dobby stole the Gillyweed, of course."**  
**

**Harry stared back at Snape, determined not to blink or to look guilty.**

James nodded approvingly and received a glare from Lily.

"What? You want him to be caught?"

"He shouldn't be doing things like that anyway," Lily said, sending Harry a disapproving look which made him wince.

** In truth, he hadn't stolen either of these things from Snape. Hermione had taken the boomslang skin back in their second year - they had needed it for the Polyjuice Potion - and while Snape had suspected Harry at the time, he had never been able to prove it. Dobby, of course, had stolen the gillyweed.**

**"I don't know what you're talking about," Harry lied coldly.**

**"You were out of bed on the night my office was broken into!" Snape hissed. "I know it Potter! Now, Mad-Eye Moody might have joined your fan club,**

"Well, he certainly wasn't going to join _yours_."

** but I will not tolerate your behavior! One more nighttime stroll into my office, Potter, and you will pay!"**

**"Right," said Harry coolly, turning back to his ginger roots. "I'll bear that in mind if I ever get the urge to go in there."**

Sirius shuddered, imagining what Snape's office would be like. **  
**

**Snape's eyes flashed. He plunged a hand into the inside of his black robes. For one wild moment, Harry thought Snape was about to pull out his wand and curse him - then he saw that Snapehad drawn out a small crystal bottle of a completely clear potion. Harry stared at it.  
**

**"Do you know what this is Potter?" Snape said, his eyes glittering dangerously again.  
**

**"No," said Harry, with complete honesty this time.  
**

**"It is Veritaserum-a Truth Potion so powerful that three drops would have you spilling your innermost secrets for this entire class to hear," said Snape viciously. "Now, the use of this potion is controlled by very strict Ministry guidelines. But unless you watch your step, you might just find**** that my hand slips"- he shook the crystal bottle slightly - "right over your evening pumpkin juice. And then Potter…then we'll find out whether you've been in my office or not."**

"He can't threaten students like that!" James protested. **  
**

**Harry said nothing. He turned back to his ginger roots once more, picked up his knife, and started slicing them again. He didn't like the sound of that Truth Potion at all, nor would he put it past Snape to slip him some. He repressed a shudder at the thought of what might come spilling out of his mouth if Snape did it…quite apart from landing a whole lot of people in trouble - Hermione and Dobby for a start - there were all the other things he was concealing…like the fact that he was in contact with Sirius…and - his insides squirmed at the thought - how he felt about Cho…He tipped his ginger roots into the cauldron too, and wondered whether he ought to take a leaf out of Moody s book and start drinking only from a private hip flask.  
**

**There was a knock on the dungeon door.  
**

**"Enter," said Snape in his usual voice.  
**

**The class looked around as the door opened. Professor Karkaroff came in. Everyone watched him as he walked up toward Snape's desk. He was twisting his finger around his goatee and looking agitated.  
**

**"We need to talk," said Karkaroff abruptly when he had reached Snape. He seemed so determined that nobody should hear what he was saying that he was barely opening his lips; it was as though he were a rather poor ventriloquist. Harry kept his eyes on his ginger roots, listening hard.  
**

**"I'll talk to you after my lesson, Karkaroff," Snape muttered, but Karkaroff interrupted him.  
**

**"I want to talk now, while you can't slip off, Severus. You've been avoiding me."**

"Why?" Remus asked, looking thoughtful.**  
**

**"After the lesson," Snape snapped.  
**

**Under the pretext of holding up a measuring cup to see if he'd poured out enough armadillo bile, Harry sneaked a sidelong glance at the pair of them. Karkaroff looked extremely worried, and Snape looked angry.  
**

**Karkaroff hovered behind Snape's desk for the rest of the double period. He seemed intent on preventing Snape from slipping away at the end of class. Keen to hear what Karkaroff wanted to say, Harry deliberately knocked over his bottle of armadillo bile with two minutes to go to the bell, which gave him an excuse to duck down behind his cauldron and mop up while the rest of theclass moved noisily toward the door.  
**

**"What's so urgent?" he heard Snape hiss at Karkaroff.  
**

**"This," said Karkaroff, and Harry, peering around the edge of his cauldron, saw Karkaroff pull up the left-hand sleeve of his robe and show Snape something on his inner forearm.**

"You don't think-?" Sirius started.

"The Dark Mark?" Remus interrupted.

"Is Karkaroff a Death Eater now?" Sirius said, looking thoughtful, "I can't remember."

"Wasn't there something in the Prophet recently about Moody catching him?" James asked.

Remus, Lily, and Peter all nodded to confirm, faintly remembering the headline.

**"Well?" said Karkaroff, still making every effort not to move his lips. "Do you see? It's never been this clear, never since -"  
**

**"Put it away!" snarled Snape, his black eyes sweeping the classroom.  
**

**"But you must have noticed -" Karkaroff began in an agitated voice.  
**

**"We can talk later, Karkaroff!" spat Snape. "Potter! What are you doing?"  
**

**"Clearing up my armadillo bile, Professor," said Harry innocently, straightening up and showing Snape the sodden rag he was holding.  
**

**Karkaroff turned on his heel and strode out of the dungeon. He looked both worried and angry. Not wanting to remain alone with an exceptionally angry Snape, Harry threw his books and ingredients back into his bag and left at top speed to tell Ron and Hermione what he had just witnessed.  
**

**They left the castle at noon the next day **

"They're going to see me now, aren't they?" Sirius asked, leaning in towards the book eagerly.

Most of the others nodded in confirmation.

**to find a weak silver sun shining down upon the grounds. The weather was milder than it had been all year, and by the time they arrived in Hogsmeade, all three of them had taken off their cloaks and thrown them over their shoulders. The food Sirius had told them to bring was in Harry's bag; they had sneaked a dozen chicken legs, a loaf of bread, and a flask of pumpkin juice from the lunch table.  
**

**They went into Gladrags Wizardwear to buy a present for Dobby, where they had fun selecting the most lurid socks they could find, including a pair patterned with flashing gold and silver stars, and another that screamed loudly when they became too smelly. Then, at half past one, they made their way up the High Street, past Dervish and Banges, and out toward the edge of the village.  
**

**Harry had never been in this direction before. The winding lane was leading them out into the wild countryside around Hogsmeade. The cottages were fewer here, and their gardens larger; they were walking toward the foot of the mountain in whose shadow Hogsmeade lay. Then they turned a corner and saw a stile at the end of the lane. Waiting for them, its front paws on the topmost bar, was a very large, shaggy black dog, which was carrying some newspapers in its mouth and looking very familiar…  
**

**"Hello, Sirius," said Harry when they had reached him.**

Sirius leaned over James' shoulder, ready to read any of his dialogue.

**The black dog sniffed Harry's bag eagerly, wagged its tail once, then turned and began to trot away from them across the scrubby patch of ground that rose to meet the rocky foot of the mountain. Harry, Ron, and Hermione climbed over the stile and followed.  
**

**Sirius led them to the very foot of the mountain, where the ground was covered with boulders and rocks. It was easy for him, with his four paws, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione were soon out of ****breath. **

Lily shot the book a worried look, causing James to roll his eyes and murmur, "They'll be fine."

**They followed Sirius higher, up onto the mountain itself. For nearly half an hour they climbed a steep, winding, and stony path, following Sirius's wagging tail, sweating in the sun, the shoulder straps of Harry's bag cutting into his shoulders.  
**

**Then, at last, Sirius slipped out of sight, and when they reached the place where he had vanished, they saw a narrow fissure in the rock. They squeezed into it and found themselves in a cool, dimly lit cave. Tethered at the end of it, one end of his rope around a large rock, was Buckbeak the hippogriff. Half gray horse, half giant eagle, Buckbeak's fierce orange eye flashed at the sight of them. All three of them bowed low to him, and after regarding them imperiously for a moment, Buckbeak bent his scaly front knees and allowed Hermione to rush forward and stroke his feathery neck. Harry, however, was looking at the black dog, which had just turned into his godfather.  
**

**Sirius was wearing ragged gray robes; the same ones he had been wearing when he had left Azkaban. His black hair was longer than it had been when he had appeared in the fire, and it was untidy and matted once more. He looked very thin.**

Everyone beside Harry, Ron and Hermione shot Sirius worried looks.

"Here you are, mate," James said, pointing at the next line of the book.

Sirius followed his finger and began reading what was in quotations, allowing James to pick up the rest of the sentence.**  
**

**"Chicken!" he said hoarsely after removing the old Daily Prophets from his mouth and throwing them down onto the cave floor.  
**

**Harry pulled open his bag and handed over the bundle of chicken legs and bread.  
**

**"Thanks," said Sirius, opening it, grabbing a drumstick, sitting down on the cave floor, and tearing off a large chunk with his teeth. "I've been living off rats mostly. **

"Gross, mate." James said, grimacing before snickering at Peter's slightly freaked-out expression, "What, Wormy? You don't like Sirius eating rats?"

**Can't steal too much food from Hogsmeade; I'd draw attention to myself." He grinned up at Harry, but Harry returned the grin only reluctantly.  
**

**"What're you doing here, Sirius?" he said.  
**

**"Fulfilling my duty as godfather," said Sirius, gnawing on the chicken bone in a very doglike way. **

"Big surprise there," Remus said dryly.

**"Don't worry about it, I'm pretending to be a lovable stray." He was still grinning, but seeing the anxiety in Harry's face, said more seriously,**

"Sirius being serious? Impossible!"

** "I want to be on the spot. Your last letter…well, let's just say things are getting fishier. I've been stealing the paper every time someone throws one out, and by the looks of things, I'm not the only one who's getting worried."**

**He nodded at the yellowing Daily Prophets on the cave floor, and Ron picked them up and unfolded them. Harry, however, continued to stare at Sirius.  
**

**"What if they catch you? What if you're seen?"**

"It won't matter if I'm seen." Sirius said.

"I don't think people are just going to overlook an escaped convict, Sirius." Lily replied.

"Of course they won't. But if they see a lovable black stray, I doubt they'll even pay it any attention."

**"You three and Dumbledore are the only ones around here who know I'm an Animagus," said Sirius, shrugging, and continuing to devour the chicken leg.  
**

**Ron nudged Harry and passed him the Daily Prophets. There were two: The first bore the headline Mystery Illness of Bartemius Crouch, the second, Ministry Witch Still Missing-Minister of Magic Now Personally Involved.**

"That's going to be a huge help, I'm sure." Remus said, rolling his eyes.**  
**

**Harry scanned the story about Crouch. Phrases jumped out at him: hasn't been seen in public since November…house appears deserted…St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries decline comment…Ministry refuses to confirm rumors of critical illness…  
**

**"They're making it sound like he's dying," said Harry slowly. "But he can't be that ill if he managed to get up here…"**

Remus and Lily exchanged thoughtful looks, both trying to figure out what Crouch was up to.

**"My brother's Crouch's personal assistant," Ron informed Sirius. "He says Crouch is suffering from overwork."  
**

**"Mind you, he did look ill, last time I saw him up close," said Harry slowly, still reading the story. "The night my name came out of the goblet…"  
**

**"Getting his comeuppance for sacking Winky, isn't he?" said Hermione, an edge to her voice. **

Ron rolled his eyes and Hermione glared at him.

**She was stroking Buckbeak, who was crunching up Sirius's chicken bones. "I bet he wishes he hadn't done it now - bet he feels the difference now she's not there to look after him."  
**

**"Hermione's obsessed with house-elfs," Ron muttered to Sirius, casting Hermione a dark look. Sirius, however, looked interested.**

"Really?" Sirius said, surprised.**  
**

**"Crouch sacked his house-elf?"  
**

**"Yeah, at the Quidditch World Cup," said Harry, and he launched into the story of the Dark Mark's appearance, and Winky being found with Harry's wand clutched in her hand, and Mr. Crouch's fury. When Harry had finished, Sirius was on his feet again and had started pacing up and down the cave.  
**

**"Let me get this straight," he said after a while, brandishing a fresh chicken leg. "You first saw the elf in the Top Box. She was saving Crouch a seat, right?"  
**

**"Right," said Harry, Ron, and Hermione together.  
**

**"But Crouch didn't turn up for the match?"  
**

**"No," said Harry. "I think he said he'd been too busy."  
**

**Sirius paced all around the cave in silence. Then he said, "Harry, did you check your pockets for your wand after you'd left the Top Box?"  
**

**"Erm…" Harry thought hard. "No," he said finally. "I didn't need to use it before we got in the forest. And then I put my hand in my pocket, and all that was in there were my Omnioculars."  
**

"Some help _those_ were when the Death Eaters came."

**He stared at Sirius. "Are you saying whoever conjured the Mark stole my wand in the Top Box?"  
**

**"It's possible," said Sirius.  
**

**"Winky didn't steal that wand!" Hermione insisted.**

"I didn't say she did." Sirius said before reading his next line. **  
**

**"The elf wasn't the only one in that box," said Sirius, his brow furrowed as he continued to pace. "Who else was sitting behind you?"  
**

**"Loads of people," said Harry. "Some Bulgarian ministers…Cornelius Fudge…the Malfoys…"  
**

**"The Malfoys!" said Ron suddenly, so loudly that his voice echoed all around the cave, and Buckbeak tossed his head nervously. "I bet it was Lucius Malfoy!"  
**

"Lucius can't have taken it because that doesn't explain how it ended up with Winky."

**"Anyone else?" said Sirius.  
**

**"No one," said Harry.  
**

**"Yes, there was, there was Ludo Bagman," Hermione reminded him.  
**

James shook his head, "Ludo has been helping Harry all this time, he wouldn't have taken his wand."

"And he was too busy announcing all the plays in the game," Sirius added.

Lily resisted the urge to say that they were most likely defending Ludo Bagman because he was a Quidditch star.

**"Oh yeah…"  
**

**"I don't know anything about Bagman except that he used to be Beater for the Wimbourne Wasps," said Sirius, still pacing. "What's he like?"  
**

**"He's okay," said Harry. "He keeps offering to help me with the Triwizard Tournament."  
**

**"Does he, now?" said Sirius, frowning more deeply. "I wonder why he'd do that?"  
**

**"Says he's taken a liking to me," said Harry.  
**

**"Hmm," said Sirius, looking thoughtful.**

"It looks like future Sirius is going against his present self." James said. **  
**

**"We saw him in the forest just before the Dark Mark appeared," Hermione told Sirius. "Remember?" she said to Harry and Ron.  
**

**"Yeah, but he didn't stay in the forest, did he?" said Ron. "The moment we told him about the riot, he went off to the campsite."  
**

**"How d'you know?" Hermione shot back. "How d'you know where he Disapparated to?"  
**

**"Come off it," said Ron incredulously. "Are you saying you reckon Ludo Bagman conjured the Dark Mark?"  
**

**"It's more likely he did it than Winky," said Hermione stubbornly.**

**"Told you," said Ron, looking meaningfully at Sirius, "told you she's obsessed with house -"  
**

**But Sirius held up a hand to silence Ron.  
**

**"When the Dark Mark had been conjured, and the elf had been discovered holding Harry's wand, what did Crouch do?"  
**

**"Went to look in the bushes," said Harry, "but there wasn't anyone else there."  
**

**"Of course," Sirius muttered, pacing up and down, "of course, he'd want to pin it on anyone but his own elf…and then he sacked her?"  
**

**"Yes," said Hermione in a heated voice, "he sacked her, just because she hadn't stayed in her tent and let herself get trampled -"  
**

"The fact that she was the prime suspect of conjuring the Dark Mark had nothing to do with it, I'm sure." Remus said.

**"Hermione, will you give it a rest with the elf!" said Ron.  
**

**Sirius shook his head and said, "She's got the measure of Crouch better than you have, Ron. If you want to know what a mans like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals."**

"Wow, Padfoot," James said, "Did you actually say something intelligent?"

"It's been known to happen occasionally." Sirius replied.

"No, it hasn't!" Remus teased.

**He ran a hand over his unshaven face, evidently thinking hard.  
**

**"All these absences of Barty Crouch's…he goes to the trouble of making sure his house-elf saves him a seat at the Quidditch World Cup, but doesn't bother to turn up and watch. He works very hard to reinstate the Triwizard Tournament, and then stops coming to that too…It's not like Crouch. If he's ever taken a day off work because of illness before this, I'll eat Buckbeak."**

Sirius paused, imagining what hippogriff would taste like.**  
**

**"D'you know Crouch, then?" said Harry.  
**

**Sirius's face darkened. He suddenly looked as menacing as he had the night when Harry first met him, the night when Harry still believed Sirius to be a murderer.  
**

**"Oh I know Crouch all right," he said quietly. "He was the one who gave the order for me to be sent to Azkaban - without a trial."**

"What?" Nearly everyone yelled.

"You didn't get a trail?" Remus said.

"That's not fair!" James protested.

**"What?" said Ron and Hermione together.  
**

**"You're kidding!" said Harry.  
**

**"No, I'm not," said Sirius, taking another great bite of chicken. "Crouch used to be Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, didn't you know?" **

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione shook their heads.  
**

**"He was tipped for the next Minister of Magic," said Sirius. "He's a great wizard, Barty Crouch, powerfully magical - and power-hungry. Oh never a Voldemort supporter," he said, reading the look on Harry's face. "No, Barty Crouch was always very outspoken against the Dark Side. But then a lot of people who were against the Dark Side…well, you wouldn't understand…you're too young…"  
**

**"That's what my dad said at the World Cup," said Ron, with a trace of irritation in his voice. "Try us, why don't you?"**

Sirius, James and Remus all grinned.**  
**

**A grin flashed across Sirius's thin face.  
**

**"All right, I'll try you…" He walked once up the cave, back again, and then said, "Imagine that Voldemort's powerful now. You don't know who his supporters are, you don't know who's working for him and who isn't; you know he can control people so that they do terrible things without being able to stop themselves. You're scared for yourself, and your family, and your friends. Every week, news comes of more deaths, more disappearances, more torturing…the Ministry of Magic's in disarray, they don't know what to do, they're trying to keep everything hidden from the Muggles, but meanwhile, Muggles are dying too. Terror everywhere…panic…confusion…that's how it used to be.**

"How it is now." James mumbled.

"I hope it doesn't get this bad in Harry's time." Lily said worriedly.

Harry, Ron and Hermione all exchanged looks.

**"Well, times like that bring out the best in some people and the worst in others. Crouch's principles might've been good in the beginning - I wouldn't know. He rose quickly through the Ministry, and he started ordering very harsh measures against Voldemort's supporters. The Aurors were given new powers - powers to kill rather than capture, for instance. And I wasn't the only one who was handed straight to the dementors without trial. Crouch fought violence with violence, and authorized the use of the Unforgivable Curses against suspects. I would say he became as ruthless and cruel as many on the Dark Side. He had his supporters, mind you - plenty of people thought he was going about things the right way, **

"Because everyone was - and still is - in panic." Remus said.

**and there were a lot of witches and wizards clamoring for him to take over as Minister of Magic. When Voldemort disappeared, it looked like only a matter of time until Crouch got the top job. But then something rather unfortunate happened…" **

**Sirius smiled grimly. "Crouch's own son was caught with a group of Death Eaters who'd managed to talk their way out of Azkaban.**

"Did he sack him too?" James asked.

** Apparently they were trying to find Voldemort and return him to power."  
**

**"Crouch's son was caught?" gasped Hermione.  
**

**"Yep," said Sirius, throwing his chicken bone to Buckbeak, flinging himself back down on the ground beside the loaf of bread, and tearing it in half. "Nasty little shock for old Barty, I'd imagine. Should have spent a bit more time at home with his family, shouldn't he? Ought to have left the office early once in a while…gotten to know his own son."  
**

**He began to wolf **

Sirius shot Remus a grin, causing him to roll his eyes.

**down large pieces of bread.  
**

**"Was his son a Death Eater?" said Harry.  
**

**"No idea," said Sirius, still stuffing down bread. "I was in Azkaban myself when he was brought in. This is mostly stuff I've found out since I got out. The boy was definitely caught in the company of people I'd bet my life were Death Eaters – but he might have been in the wrong place at the wrong time, just like the house-elf."  
**

**"Did Crouch try and get his son off?" Hermione whispered.  
**

**Sirius let out a laugh that was much more like a bark.  
**

**"Crouch let his son off? I thought you had the measure of him, Hermione! Anything that threatened to tarnish his reputation had to go; he had dedicated his whole life to becoming Minister of Magic. You saw him dismiss a devoted house-elf because she associated him with the Dark Mark again - doesn't that tell you what he's like? Crouch's fatherly affection stretched just far enough to give his son a trial, and by all accounts, it wasn't much more than an excuse for Crouch to show how much he hated the boy…**

"Merlin."

**then he sent him straight to Azkaban."  
**

**"He gave his own son to the dementors?" asked Harry quietly.  
**

**"That's right," said Sirius, and he didn't look remotely amused now. "I saw the dementors bringing him in, watched them through the bars in my cell door. He can't have been more than nineteen. They took him into a cell near mine. He was screaming for his mother by nightfall. He went quiet after a few days, though…they all went quiet in the end…except when they shrieked in their sleep…"**

Everyone gave Sirius a worried looked.**  
**

**For a moment, the deadened look in Sirius's eyes became more pronounced than ever, as though shutters had closed behind them.  
**

**"So he's still in Azkaban?" Harry said.  
**

**"No," said Sirius dully. "No, he's not in there anymore. He died about a year after they brought him in."  
**

**"He died?"  
**

**"He wasn't the only one," said Sirius bitterly. "Most go mad in there, and plenty stop eating in the end. They lose the will to live. You could always tell when a death was coming, because the dementors could sense it, they got excited. That boy looked pretty sickly when he arrived. Crouch being an important Ministry member, he and his wife were allowed a deathbed visit. That was the last time I saw Barty Crouch, half carrying his wife past my cell. She died herself, apparently, shortly afterward. Grief. Wasted away just like the boy. Crouch never came for his son's body. The dementors buried him outside the fortress; I watched them do it."  
**

**Sirius threw aside the bread he had just lifted to his mouth and instead picked up the flask of pumpkin juice and drained it.  
**

**"So old Crouch lost it all, just when he thought he had it made," he continued, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "One moment, a hero, poised to become Minister of Magic…next, his son dead, his wife dead, the family name dishonored, and, so I've heard since I escaped, a big drop in popularity. Once the boy had died, people started feeling a bit more sympathetic toward the son and started asking how a nice young lad from a good family had gone so badly astray. The conclusion was that his father never cared much for him. **

"And it probably didn't help that Crouch held the trial to 'show his hate' of his son."

**So Cornelius Fudge got the top job, and Crouch was shunned sideways into the Department of International Magical Cooperation."  
**

**There was a long silence. Harry was thinking of the way Crouch's eyes had bulged as he'd looked down at his disobedient house-elf back in the wood at the Quidditch World Cup. This, then, must have been why Crouch had overreacted to Winky being found beneath the Dark Mark. It had brought back memories of his son, and the old scandal, and his fall from grace at the Ministry.  
**

**"Moody says Crouch is obsessed with catching Dark wizards," Harry told Sirius.**

"Yeah, but so is Moody."

"Then he would know."

**"Yeah, I've heard it's become a bit of a mania with him," said Sirius, nodding. "If you ask me, he still thinks he can bring back the old popularity by catching one more Death Eater."  
**

**"And he sneaked up here to search Snape's office!" said Ron triumphantly, looking at Hermione.  
**

**"Yes, and that doesn't make sense at all," said Sirius.  
**

**"Yeah, it does!" said Ron excitedly, but Sirius shook his head.  
**

**"Listen, if Crouch wants to investigate Snape, why hasn't he been coming to judge the tournament? It would be an ideal excuse to make regular visits to Hogwarts and keep an eye on him."  
**

**"So you think Snape could be up to something, then?" asked Harry, but Hermione broke in.  
**

**"Look, I don't care what you say, Dumbledore trusts Snape -"  
**

**"Oh give it a rest, Hermione," said Ron impatiently. "I know Dumbledores brilliant and everything, but that doesn't mean a really clever Dark wizard couldn't fool him -"  
**

**"Why did Snape save Harry's life in the first year, then? **

"Anyone else still think that was weird?" Sirius asked.

**Why didn't he just let him die?"  
**

**"I dunno - maybe he thought Dumbledore would kick him out-"  
**

**"What d'you think, Sirius?" Harry said loudly, and Ron and Hermione stopped bickering to listen.  
**

**"I think they've both got a point," said Sirius, looking thoughtfully at Ron and Hermione. "Ever since I found out Snape was teaching here, I've wondered why Dumbledore hired him. Snape's always been fascinated by the Dark Arts, he was famous for it at school. Slimy, oily, greasy-haired kid, he was," Sirius added, and Harry and Ron grinned at each other. "Snape knew more curses when he arrived at school than half the kids in seventh year, and he was part of a gang of Slytherins who nearly all turned out to be Death Eaters."  
**

**Sirius held up his fingers and began ticking off names.  
**

**"Rosier and Wilkes - they were both killed by Aurors the year before Voldemort fell. The Lestranges - they're a married couple - they're in Azkaban. Avery – from what I've heard he wormed his way out of trouble by saying he'd been acting under the Imperius Curse - he's still at large. But as far as I know, Snape was never even accused of being a Death Eater - not that that means much. Plenty of them were never caught. And Snape's certainly clever and cunning enough to keep himself out of trouble."  
**

**"Snape knows Karkaroff pretty well, but he wants to keep that quiet," said Ron.  
**

**"Yeah, you should've seen Snape's face when Karkaroff turned up in Potions yesterday!" said Harry quickly. "Karkaroff wanted to talk to Snape, he says Snape's been avoiding him. Karkaroff looked really worried. He showed Snape something on his arm,  
**

Remus, Lily, James, Sirius, and Peter exchanged looks, all thinking the same thing: _Dark mark?_

**but I couldn't see what it was."  
**

**"He showed Snape something on his arm?" said Sirius, looking frankly bewildered. He ran his fingers distractedly through his filthy hair, then shrugged again. "Well, I've no idea what that's about…**

"I don't?" Sirius asked, confused.

"Maybe you're just saying you don't know what it is. If you said you thought it was the dark mark, you might scare the others," James guessed.

**but if Karkaroff's genuinely worried, and he's going to Snape for answers…"  
**

**Sirius stared at the cave wall, then made a grimace of frustration.  
**

**"There's still the fact that Dumbledore trusts Snape, and I know Dumbledore trusts where a lot of other people wouldn't, but I just can't see him letting Snape teach at Hogwarts if he'd ever worked for Voldemort."**

"Unless he had a really good reason."**  
**

**"Why are Moody and Crouch so keen to get into Snape's office then?" said Ron stubbornly.**

"Mad-Eye is extremely paranoid anyway. He's probably had everyone checked out." Remus said.**  
**

**"Well," said Sirius slowly, "I wouldn't put it past Mad-Eye to have searched every single teacher's office when he got to Hogwarts. He takes his Defense Against the Dark Arts seriously, Moody. I'm not sure he trusts anyone at all, and after the things he's seen, it's not surprising. I'll say this for Moody, though, he never killed if he could help it. Always brought people in alive where possible. He was tough, but he never descended to the level of the Death Eaters. Crouch, though…he's a different matter…is he really ill? If he is, why did he make the effort to drag himself up to Snape's office? And if he's not…what's he up to? What was he doing at the World Cup that was so important he didn't turn up in the Top Box? What's he been doing while he should have been judging the tournament?"  
**

**Sirius lapsed into silence, still staring at the cave wall. Buckbeak was ferreting around on the rocky floor, looking for bones he might have overlooked. Finally, Sirius looked up at Ron.  
**

**"You say your brother's Crouch's personal assistant? Any chance you could ask him if he's seen Crouch lately?"**

"Probably not from Percy." **  
**

**"I can try," said Ron doubtfully. "Better not make it sound like I reckon Crouch is up to anything dodgy, though. Percy loves Crouch."  
**

**"And you might try and find out whether they've got any leads on Bertha Jorkins while you're at it," said Sirius, gesturing to the second copy of the Daily Prophet.  
**

**"Bagman told me they hadn't," said Harry.  
**

**"Yes, he's quoted in the article in there," said Sirius, nodding at the paper. "Blustering on about how bad Bertha's memory is. Well, maybe she's changed since I knew her, but the Bertha I knew wasn't forgetful at all - quite the reverse. She was a bit dim, but she had an excellent memory for gossip. It used to get her into a lot of trouble; she never knew when to keep her mouth shut. I can see her being a bit of a liability at the Ministry of Magic…maybe that's why Bagman didn't bother to look for her for so long…"  
**

**Sirius heaved an enormous sigh and rubbed his shadowed eyes.  
**

**"What's the time?"  
**

**Harry checked his watch, then remembered it hadn't been working since it had spent over an hour in the lake.  
**

**"It's half past three," said Hermione.  
**

**"You'd better get back to school," Sirius said, getting to his feet. **

Sirius whined.

**"Now listen…" He looked particularly hard at Harry. "I don't want you lot sneaking out of school to see me, all right? Just send notes to me here. I still want to hear about anything odd. But you're not to go leaving Hogwarts without permission; it would be an ideal opportunity for someone to attack you."  
**

**"No one's tried to attack me so far, except a dragon and a couple of grindylows," Harry said, but Sirius scowled at him.  
**

**"I don't care…I'll breathe freely again when this tournament's over, and that's not until June. And don't forget, if you're talking about me among yourselves, call me Snuffles, okay?"**

"Snuffles?" James asked, "Where did _that_ come from?"**  
**

**He handed Harry the empty napkin and flask and went to pat Buckbeak good-bye.  
**

**"I'll walk to the edge of the village with you," said Sirius, "see if I can scrounge another paper."**

"Maybe you should just bring me a paper next time." Sirius said, looking at Harry, Ron and Hermione.**  
**

**He transformed into the great black dog before they left the cave, and they walked back down the mountainside with him, across the boulder-strewn ground, and back to the stile. Here he allowed each of them to pat him on the head, before turning and setting off at a run around the outskirts of the village. Harry, Ron, and Hermione made their way back into Hogsmeade and up toward Hogwarts.  
**

**"Wonder if Percy knows all that stuff about Crouch?" Ron said as they walked up the drive to the castle. "But maybe he doesn't care…It'd probably just make him admire Crouch even more. Yeah, Percy loves rules. He'd just say Crouch was refusing to break them for his own son."  
**

**"Percy would never throw any of his family to the dementors," said Hermione severely.  
**

**"I don't know," said Ron. "If he thought we were standing in the way of his career…Percy's really ambitious, you know…"  
**

**They walked up the stone steps into the entrance hall, where the delicious smells of dinner wafted toward them from the Great Hall.  
**

**"Poor old Snuffles," said Ron, breathing deeply. "He must really like you. Harry…Imagine having to live off rats."**

Sirius shuddered as James handed Ron the book.

**A/N: I finally finished it! :D **

**I know I don't really deserve it after this long a wait, but review, please?  
**


	31. The Madness of Mr Crouch

**A/N: I didn't wait months until I uploaded this time! xP **

**I'm going to try and do it where I upload a new chapter on _Boredom_, and then a new chapter of_ Marauders_ (not at the same time, but alternate between stories). So, this won't be updated again until after I update _Marauders_.**

**That way, I can focus on one story at a time and not try and do them both at once. Oh, but school (_high_school to be exact) does start for me on the 9th, so updates may get a bit slower.  
**

_Previously:_

_**"Poor old Snuffles," said Ron, breathing deeply. "He must really like you. Harry…Imagine having to live off rats."**_

_Sirius shuddered as James handed Ron the book._

**CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT **

**THE MADNESS OF MR. CROUCH **

"Are we finally going to figure out what's wrong with him?" Remus asked hopefully. **  
**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione went up to the Owlery after breakfast on Sunday to send a letter to Percy, asking, as Sirius had suggested, whether he had seen Mr. Crouch lately. They used Hedwig, because it had been so long since she'd had a job. When they had watched her fly out of sight through the Owlery window, they proceeded down to the kitchen to give Dobby his new socks. **

**The house-elves gave them a very cheery welcome, bowing and curtsying and bustling around making tea again. Dobby was ecstatic about his present. **

"**Harry Potter is too good to Dobby!" he squeaked, wiping large tears out of his enormous eyes. **

"Merlin," James said, exasperated as Seth gave the book a slightly annoyed look, as though it was actually Dobby.**  
**

"**You saved my life with that gillyweed, Dobby, you really did," said Harry. **

"**No chance of more of those eclairs, is there?" said Ron, who was looking around at the beaming and bowing house-elves. **

"**You've just had breakfast!" **

"So?" Sirius said, "Those eclairs are _good_."

**said Hermione irritably, but a great silver platter of eclairs was already zooming toward them, supported by four elves. **

"**We should get some stuff to send up to Snuffles," Harry muttered. **

Sirius nodded enthusiastically. **  
**

"**Good idea," said Ron. "Give Pig something to do. You couldn't give us a bit of extra food, could you?"**

"Of course they can," Sirius said, "They'll give you whatever you want."

** he said to the surrounding elves, and they bowed delightedly and hurried off to get some more. **

"**Dobby, where's Winky?" said Hermione, who was looking around. **

"**Winky is over there by the fire, miss," said Dobby quietly, his ears drooping slightly. **

"**Oh dear," said Hermione as she spotted Winky. **

**Harry looked over at the fireplace too. Winky was sitting on the same stool as last time, but she had allowed herself to become so filthy that she was not immediately distinguishable from the smoke-blackened brick behind her. Her clothes were ragged and unwashed. **

Lily and Hermione both gave the books worried looks.

**She was clutching a bottle of butterbeer and swaying slightly on her stool, staring into the fire. As they watched her, she gave an enormous hiccup. **

"**Winky is getting through six bottles a day now," Dobby whispered to Harry. **

"**Well, it's not strong, that stuff," Harry said.  
**

"It is for a house-elf." Remus said. **  
**

**But Dobby shook his head. "'Tis strong for a house-elf, sir," he said. **

Remus looked a little startled. **  
**

**Winky hiccuped again. The elves who had brought the eclairs gave her disapproving looks as they returned to work. **

"**Winky is pining, Harry Potter," Dobby whispered sadly. "Winky wants to go home. Winky still thinks Mr. Crouch is her master, sir, and nothing Dobby says will persuade her that Professor Dumbledore is her master now." **

"**Hey, Winky," said Harry, struck by a sudden inspiration, walking over to her, and bending down, "you don't know what Mr. Crouch might be up to, do you? Because he's stopped turning up to judge the Triwizard Tournament." **

**Winky's eyes flickered. Her enormous pupils focused on Harry. She swayed slightly again and then said, "M - Master is stopped - hic - coming?" **

"**Yeah," said Harry, "we haven't seen him since the first task. The **_**Daily Prophet**_**'s saying he's ill." **

"That probably wasn't a good thing to say to her." **  
**

**Winky swayed some more, staring blurrily at Harry. **

"**Master- hic- ill?" **

**Her bottom lip began to tremble. **

"**But we're not sure if that's true," said Hermione quickly. **

"**Master is needing his - his - Winky!" whimpered the elf. "Master cannot - hic - manage - hic - all by himself…" **

"I don't think he needed a house-elf that badly." Sirius said.**  
**

"**Other people manage to do their own housework, you know, Winky," Hermione said severely. **

"**Winky - hic - is not only - hic - doing housework for Mr. Crouch!" Winky squeaked indignantly, swaying worse than ever and slopping butterbeer down her already heavily stained blouse. "Master is - hic - trusting Winky with - hic – the most important - hic - the most secret…" **

"A secret, eh?" James said, leaning closer to the book.

"**What?" said Harry. **

**But Winky shook her head very hard, spilling more butterbeer down herself. **

"**Winky keeps - hic - her master's secrets,"**

"But he's not her master anymore!"

**she said mutinously, swaying very heavily now, frowning up at Harry with her eyes crossed. "You is - hic - nosing, you is." **

"**Winky must not talk like that to Harry Potter!" said Dobby angrily.**

"Hear, hear!"

** "Harry Potter is brave and noble and Harry Potter is not nosy!" **

"Not without good reason anyway," Ron said, smirking.**  
**

"**He is nosing - hic - into my master's - hic - private and secret - hic - Winky is a good house-elf- hic - Winky keeps her silence - hic - people trying to - hic – pry and poke - hic -" **

**Winky's eyelids drooped and suddenly, without warning, she slid off her stool into the hearth, snoring loudly.**

"Very charming."

** The empty bottle of butterbeer rolled away across the stone-flagged floor. Half a dozen house-elves came hurrying forward, looking disgusted. One of them picked up the bottle; the others covered Winky with a large checked tablecloth and tucked the ends in neatly, hiding her from view. **

"**We is sorry you had to see that, sirs and miss!" squeaked a nearby elf, shaking his head and looking very ashamed. "We is hoping you will not judge us all by Winky, sirs and miss!" **

"Hermione's gonna _love_ that." Sirius said, smirking.

Hermione blushed slightly.**  
**

"**She's unhappy!" said Hermione, exasperated. "Why don't you try and cheer her up instead of covering her up?" **

"**Begging your pardon, miss," said the house-elf, bowing deeply again, "but house-elves has no right to be unhappy when there is work to be done and masters to be served."**

"And that."**  
**

"**Oh for heavens sake!" Hermione cried. "Listen to me, all of you! You've got just as much right as wizards to be unhappy! You've got the right to wages and holidays and proper clothes, you don't have to do everything you're told - look at Dobby!" **

"**Miss will please keep Dobby out of this," Dobby mumbled, looking scared. **

"They don't like Dobby either?"

**The cheery smiles had vanished from the faces of the house-elves around the kitchen. They were suddenly looking at Hermione as though she were mad and dangerous. **

"**We has your extra food!" squeaked an elf at Harry's elbow, and he shoved a large ham, a dozen cakes, and some fruit into Harry's arms. **

Sirius looked over at Harry and said sincerely, "Thank you," causing some of the others to chuckle.

**"Good-bye!" **

**The house-elves crowded around Harry, Ron, and Hermione and began shunting them out of the kitchen, many little hands pushing in the smalls of their backs. **

"Wow. They really offended them. We've never been pushed out of the kitchens," James said.

"And that's saying something," Sirius added.

"**Thank you for the socks, Harry Potter!" Dobby called miserably from the hearth, where he was standing next to the lumpy tablecloth that was Winky. **

"**You couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you, Hermione?" said Ron angrily as the kitchen door slammed shut behind them. "They won't want us visiting them now! We could've tried to get more stuff out of Winky about Crouch!" **

"**Oh as if you care about that!" scoffed Hermione. "You only like coming down here for the food!" **

"Well, that's what the kitchen is for."**  
**

**It was an irritable sort of day after that. Harry got so tired of Ron and Hermione sniping at each other over their homework in the common room that he took Sirius's food up to the Owlery that evening on his own. **

**Pigwidgeon was much too small to carry an entire ham up to the mountain by himself, so Harry enlisted the help of two school screech owls as well. When they had set off into the dusk, looking extremely odd carrying the large package between them Harry leaned on the windowsill, looking out at the grounds, at the dark, rustling treetops of the Forbidden Forest, and the rippling sails of the Durmstrang ship. An eagle owl flew through the coil of smoke rising from Hagrids chimney; it soared toward the castle, around the Owlery, and out of sight.**

"This Rowling person paints cool mental images."

** Looking down, Harry saw Hagrid digging energetically in front of his cabin. **

"What's he doing?"

**Harry wondered what he was doing; it looked as though he were making a new vegetable patch. As he watched, Madame Maxime emerged from the Beauxbatons carriage and walked over to Hagrid. She appeared to be trying to engage him in conversation. Hagrid leaned upon his spade, but did not seem keen to prolong their talk, because Madame Maxime returneqd to the carriage shortly afterward. **

**Unwilling to go back to Gryffindor Tower and listen to Ron and Hermione snarling at each other, Harry watched Hagrid digging**

"That must have been extremely entertaining."

** until the darkness swallowed him and the owls around Harry began to awake, swooshing past him into the night. By breakfast the next day Ron's and Hermione's bad moods had burnt out, and to Harry's relief, Ron's dark predictions that the house-elves would send substandard food up to the Gryffindor table because Hermione had insulted them proved false; the bacon, eggs, and kippers were quite as good as usual. **

**When the post owls arrived, Hermione looked up eagerly; she seemed to be expecting something. **

"**Percy won't've had time to answer yet," said Ron. "We only sent Hedwig yesterday." **

"**No, it's not that," said Hermione. "I've taken out a subscription to the **_**Daily Prophet**_**. I'm getting sick of finding everything out from the Slytherins." **

"**Good thinking!" said Harry, also looking up at the owls. "Hey, Hermione, I think you're in luck -" **

**A gray owl was soaring down toward Hermione. **

"**It hasn't got a newspaper, though," she said, looking disappointed. "It's -" **

**But to her bewilderment, the gray owl landed in front of her plate, closely followed by four barn owls, a brown owl, and a tawny. **

"What is all that about?"

"**How many subscriptions did you take out?" said Harry, seizing Hermione's goblet before it was knocked over by the cluster of owls, all of whom were jostling close to her, trying to deliver their own letter first. **

"**What on earth -?" Hermione said, taking the letter from the gray owl, opening it, and starting to read. "Oh really!" she sputtered, going rather red. **

"What?"

"Why don't you be quiet so Ron can tell us?"

"**What's up?" said Ron. **

"**It,'s - oh how ridiculous -" **

**She thrust the letter at Harry, who saw that it was not handwritten, but composed from pasted letters that seemed to have been cut out of the **_**Daily Prophet**_**. **

**YOU ARE A WICKED GIRL. HARRY POTTER DESERVES BETTER. GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM MUGGLE. **

Everyone either exchanged puzzled or angry looks (Seth was the only one who remained indifferent). **  
**

"**They're all like it!" said Hermione desperately, opening one letter after another. **

"She better be careful, one of those could have a spell or something dangerous inside." Remus warned.

"Now you tell me." Hermione muttered.

"'**Harry Potter can do much better than the likes of you…' 'You deserve to be boiled in frog spawn…' Ouch!" **

**She had opened the last envelope, and yellowish-green liquid smelling strongly of petrol gushed over her hands, which began to erupt in large yellow boils. **

"Uh oh."**  
**

"**Undiluted bubotuber pus!" said Ron, **

"You knew that?" James asked Ron, looking amused.

**picking up the envelope gingerly and sniffing it. **

"_Sniffing_ it?" **  
**

"**Ow!" said Hermione, tears starting in her eyes as she tried to rub the pus off her hands with a napkin, but her fingers were now so thickly covered in painful sores that it looked as though she were wearing a pair of thick, knobbly gloves. **

"**You'd better get up to the hospital wing," said Harry as the owls around Hermione took flight. "We'll tell Professor Sprout where you've gone…" **

"**I warned her!" said Ron as Hermione hurried out of the Great Hall, cradling her hands. "I warned her not to annoy Rita Skeeter! Look at this one…" He read out one of the letters Hermione had left behind: "'I read in Witch Weekly about how you are playing Harry Potter false and that boy has had enough hardship and I will be sending you a curse by next post as soon as I can find a big enough envelope.' Blimey, she'd better watch out for herself." **

**Hermione didn't turn up for Herbology. As Harry and Ron left the greenhouse for their Care of Magical Creatures class, they saw Malfoy,**

Sirius and James both groaned.

** Crabbe, and Goyle descending the stone steps of the castle. Pansy Parkinson was whispering and giggling behind them with her gang of Slytherin girls. Catching sight of Harry, Pansy called, "Potter, have you split up with your girlfriend? **

"She's not his girlfriend!"

**Why was she so upset at breakfast?" **

**Harry ignored her; he didn't want to give her the satisfaction of knowing how much trouble the Witch Weekly article had caused. **

**Hagrid, who had told them last lesson that they had finished with unicorns, was waiting for them outside his cabin with a fresh supply of open crates at his feet.**

"Not skrewts again!"

** Harry's heart sank at the sight of the crates - surely not another skrewt hatching? - but when he got near enough to see inside, he found himself looking at a number of flurry black creatures with long snouts.**

"Nifflers!" Lily, Remus, James, Sirius and Peter all said. They had all enjoyed their lesson with the animals.

** "Their front paws were curiously flat, like spades, and they were blinking up at the class, looking politely puzzled at all the attention. **

"**These're nifflers," said Hagrid, when the class had gathered around. "Yeh find 'em down mines mostly. They like sparkly stuff…There yeh go, look." **

**One of the nifflers had suddenly leapt up and attempted to bite Pansy Parkinson's watch off her wrist. She shrieked and jumped backward. **

"**Useful little treasure detectors," said Hagrid happily. "Thought we'd have some fun with 'em today. See over there?" He pointed at the large patch of freshly turned earth Harry had watched him digging from the Owlery window.**

"So that's what it was..."

**"I've buried some gold coins. I've got a prize fer whoever picks the niffler that digs up most. **

"Wonder what that'll be."

**Jus' take off all yer valuables, an' choose a niffler, an get ready ter set 'em loose." **

**Harry took off his watch, which he was only wearing out of habit, as it didn't work anymore, and stuffed it into his pocket. Then he picked up a niffler. It put its long snout in Harry's ear and sniffed enthusiastically. It was really quite cuddly. **

"**Hang on," said Hagrid, looking down into the crate, "there's a spare niffler here…who's missin? Where's Hermione?" **

"**She had to go to the hospital wing," said Ron. **

"**We'll explain later," Harry muttered; Pansy Parkinson was listening. **

**It was easily the most fun they had ever had in Care of Magical Creatures.**

"And Hermione's missing it."

** The nifflers dived in and out of the patch of earth as though it were water, each scurrying back to the student who had released it and spitting gold into their hands. Ron's was particularly efficient; it had soon filled his lap with coins. **

"**Can you buy these as pets, Hagrid?" **

"No, they destroy houses." Sirius said.

"Couldn't you keep one outside?" James asked.

"Well, I guess there's not any Ministry Regulations against it.

**he asked excitedly as his niffler dived back into the soil, splattering his robes. **

"**Yer mum wouldn' be happy, Ron," said Hagrid, grinning. "They wreck houses, nifflers. I reckon they've nearly got the lot, now," he added, pacing around the patch of earth while the nifflers continued to dive. "I on'y buried a hundred coins. Oh there y'are, Hermione!" **

**Hermione was walking toward them across the lawn. Her hands were very heavily bandaged and she looked miserable. Pansy Parkinson was watching her beadily. **

"**Well, let's check how yeh've done!" said Hagrid. "Count yer coins! An' there's no point tryin' ter steal any, Goyle," he added, his beetle-black eyes narrowed. "It's leprechaun gold. Vanishes after a few hours." **

**Goyle emptied his pockets, looking extremely sulky. It turned out that Ron's niffler had been most successful, so Hagrid gave him an enormous slab of Honeydukes chocolate for a prize.**

Sirius and James both smirked at Remus, who rolled his eyes.

** The bell rang across the grounds for lunch; the rest of the class set off back to the castle, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed behind to help Hagrid put the nifflers back in their boxes. Harry noticed Madame Maxime watching them out other carriage window. **

"**What yeh done ter your hands, Hermione?" said Hagrid, looking concerned. **

**Hermione told him about the hate mail she had received that morning, and the envelope full of bubotuber pus. **

"**Aaah, don worry," said Hagrid gendy, looking down at her. "I got some o' those letters an all, after Rita Skeeter wrote abou me mum. 'Yeh're a monster an yeh should be put down.'**

"WHAT?"

** 'Yer mother killed innocent people an if you had any decency you d jump in a lake.'" **

"Well, just jumping into a lake isn't a very lethal thing for someone to do." James pointed out.

Sirius nodded, "They really should have been more specific."

"**No!" said Hermione, looking shocked. **

"**Yeah," said Hagrid, heaving the niffler crates over by his cabin wall. "They're jus' nutters, Hermione. Don' open 'em if yeh get any more. Chuck 'em straigh' in the fire."**

They all nodded in approval.

"**You missed a really good lesson," Harry told Hermione as they headed back toward the castle. "They're good, nifflers, aren't they, Ron?" **

**Ron, however, was frowning at the chocolate Hagrid had given him. He looked thoroughly put out about something. **

"**What's the matter?" said Harry. "Wrong flavor?" **

"There is no 'wrong flavor' of chocolate." Remus said.**  
**

"**No," said Ron shortly. "Why didn't you tell me about the gold?" **

"**What gold?" said Harry. **

"**The gold I gave you at the Quidditch World Cup," said Ron. "The leprechaun gold I gave you for my Omnioculars. In the Top Box. Why didn't you tell me it disappeared?" **

**Harry had to think for a moment before he realized what Ron was talking about. **

"**Oh…" he said, the memory coming back to him at last. "I dunno…I never noticed it had gone. I was more worried about my wand, wasn't I?" **

**They climbed the steps into the entrance hall and went into the Great Hall for lunch. **

"**Must be nice," Ron said abruptly, when they had sat down and started serving themselves roast beef and Yorkshire puddings. "To have so much money you don't notice if a pocketful of Galleons goes missing." **

"**Listen, I had other stuff on my mind that night!" said Harry impatiently. "We all did, remember?" **

"**I didn't know leprechaun gold vanishes," Ron muttered. "I thought I was paying you back. You shouldn't've given me that Chudley Cannon hat for Christmas." **

"**Forget it, all right?" said Harry. **

**Ron speared a roast potato on the end of his fork, glaring at it. Then he said, "I hate being poor." **

"Me too," James said, making them all either laugh or smile (except Seth, who didn't know how rich James was).**  
**

**Harry and Hermione looked at each other. Neither of them really knew what to say. **

"**It's rubbish," said Ron, still glaring down at his potato. "I don't blame Fred and George for trying to make some extra money. Wish I could. Wish I had a niffler." **

"**Well, we know what to get you next Christmas," said Hermione brightly. Then, when Ron continued to look gloomy, she said, "Come on, Ron, it could be worse. At least your fingers aren't full of pus." Hermione was having a lot of difficulty managing her knife and fork, her fingers were so stiff and swollen. "I hate that Skeeter woman!" she burst out savagely. "I'll get her back for this if it's the last thing I do!" **

"Alright!"

**Hate mail continued to arrive for Hermione over the following week, and although she followed Hagrid's advice and stopped opening it, several of her ill-wishers sent Howlers, which exploded at the Gryffindor table and shrieked insults at her for the whole Hall to hear. Even those people who didn't read Witch Weekly knew all about the supposed Harry-Krum-Hermione triangle now. Harry was getting sick of telling people that Hermione wasn't his girlfriend. **

"**It'll die down, though," he told Hermione, "if we just ignore it…People got bored with that stuff she wrote about me last time." **

"**I want to know how she's listening into private conversations when she's supposed to be banned from the grounds!" said Hermione angrily. **

"Hmm..."**  
**

**Hermione hung back in their next Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson to ask Professor Moody something. The rest of the class was very eager to leave; Moody had given them such a rigorous test of hex-deflection that many of them were nursing small injuries. Harry had such a bad case of Twitchy Ears, he had to hold his hands clamped over them as he walked away from the class. **

"**Well, Rita's definitely not using an Invisibility Cloak!" Hermione panted five minutes later, catching up with Harry and Ron in the entrance hall and pulling Harry's hand away from one of his wiggling ears so that he could hear her. "Moody says he didn't see her anywhere near the judges' table at the second task, or anywhere near the lake!" **

"**Hermione, is there any point in telling you to drop this?" said Ron. **

"**No!" said Hermione stubbornly. "I want to know how she heard me talking to Viktor! And how she found out about Hagrids mum!" **

"**Maybe she had you bugged," said Harry. **

"Bugged?" James and Sirius asked, confused, as Remus said, "No, it wouldn't work at Hogwarts."

"It's a muggle thing," Lily started to explain before she was cut off by Ron.

"Harry tells about it in another sentence or two."

"**Bugged?" said Ron blankly. "What…put fleas on her or something?" **

Sirius shuddered.**  
**

**Harry started explaining about hidden microphones and recording equipment.**

"Oh."

** Ron was fascinated, but Hermione interrupted them. **

"**Aren't you two ever going to read **_**Hogwarts, A History**_**?" **

"They don't really _need _to. Hermione knows it cover-to-cover anyway." **  
**

"**What's the point?" said Ron. "You know it by heart, we can just ask you." **

"**All those substitutes for magic Muggles use - electricity, computers, and radar, and all those things - they all go haywire around Hogwarts, there's too much magic in the air. No, Rita's using magic to eavesdrop, she must be…If I could just find out what it is…ooh, if it's illegal, I'll have her…" **

"**Haven't we got enough to worry about?" Ron asked her. "Do we have to start a vendetta against Rita Skeeter as well?" **

"**I'm not asking you to help!" Hermione snapped. "I'll do it on my own!" **

**She marched back up the marble staircase without a backward glance. Harry was quite sure she was going to the library. **

"That's Hermione: when in doubt, go to the library!" **  
**

"**What's the betting she comes back with a box of I Hate Rita Skeeter badges?" **

James, Sirius, Remus, Lily, and Peter all laughed while Hermione shot Ron a glare.

**said Ron. **

**Hermione, however, did not ask Harry and Ron to help her pursue vengeance against Rita Skeeter, **

"_I _would want to help." James said; Sirius nodded in agreement.

**for which they were both grateful, because their workload was mounting ever higher in the days before the Easter holidays. **

"Just wait until OWLS"

"Or, even worse, NEWTs."

**Harry frankly marveled at the fact that Hermione could research magical methods of eavesdropping as well as everything else they had to do. He was working flat-out just to get through all their homework, though he made a point of sending regular food packages up to the cave in the mountain for Sirius; after last summer, Harry had not forgotten what it felt like to be continually hungry. **

**He enclosed notes to Sirius, telling him that nothing out of the ordinary had happened, and that they were still waiting for an answer from Percy. **

"How long does it take for him to reply?"

"He's probably 'busy'."

**Hedwig didn't return until the end of the Easter holidays. Percy's letter was enclosed in a package of Easter eggs that Mrs. Weasley had sent. Both Harry's and Ron's were the size of dragon eggs and full of homemade toffee. Hermiones, however, was smaller than a chicken egg.**

"What?"

"Surely Mrs. Weasley doesn't believe all that crap Skeeter wrote?"

"Well, she _did_ fancy Lockhart."**  
**

** Her face fell when she saw it. **

"**Your mum doesn't read Witch Weekly, by any chance, does she, Ron?" she asked quietly. **

"**Yeah," said Ron, whose mouth was full of toffee. "Gets it for the recipes." **

**Hermione looked sadly at her tiny egg. **

"**Don't you want to see what Percy's written?" Harry asked her hastily. **

**Percys letter was short and irritated. **

_**As I am constantly telling the Daily Prophet, Mr. Crouch is taking a well-deserved break. He is sending in regular owls with instructions. No, I haven**_**'**_**t actually seen him, but I think I can be trusted to know my own superior**_**'**_**s handwriting.**_

"That could easily be forged," Remus said.

"There's probably a spell for it," Lily added.

_** I have quite enough to do at the moment without trying to quash these ridiculous rumors. **_

_**Please don**_**'**_**t bother me again unless it**_**'**_**s something important. Happy Easter. **_

"I'm glad he's not _my _brother."

"It gets worse," Ron added.

"How?"

"You'll see."

**The start of the summer term would normally have meant that Harry was training hard for the last Quidditch match of the season. This year, however, it was the third and final task in the Triwizard Tournament for which he needed to prepare, but he still didn't know what he would have to do. Finally, in the last week of May, Professor McGonagall held him back in Transfiguration. **

"**You are to go down to the Quidditch field tonight at nine o'clock. Potter," she told him. "Mr. Bagman will be there to tell the champions about the third task." **

"Does the task have to do with Quidditch?" James said excitedly.

Harry grimaced, "I wish."

**So at half past eight that night, Harry left Ron and Hermione in Gryffindor Tower and went downstairs. As he crossed the entrance hall, Cedric came up from the Hufflepuff common room. **

"**What d'you reckon it's going to be?" he asked Harry as they went together down the stone steps, out into the cloudy night. "Fleur keeps going on about underground tunnels; she reckons we've got to find treasure." **

"You could use a niffler!" **  
**

"**That wouldn't be too bad," said Harry, thinking that he would simply ask Hagrid for a niffler to do the job for him. **

**They walked down the dark lawn to the Quidditch stadium, turned through a gap in the stands, and walked out onto the field. **

"**What've they done to it?" Cedric said indignantly, stopping dead. **

"What? What did they do?" James said, looking frantic, "They didn't mess it up, did they?**"**

"Be quiet and you'll see."**  
**

**The Quidditch field was no longer smooth and flat. It looked as though somebody had been building long, low walls all over it that twisted and crisscrossed in every direction. **

"**They're hedges!" said Harry, bending to examine the nearest one. **

"Is it a maze?" Remus asked.

Harry nodded.**  
**

"**Hello there!" called a cheery voice. **

**Ludo Bagman was standing in the middle of the field with Krum and Fleur. Harry and Cedric made their way toward them, climbing over the hedges. Fleur beamed at Harry as he came nearer. Her attitude toward him had changed completely since he had saved her sister from the lake. **

"**Well, what d'you think?" said Bagman happily as Harry and Cedric climbed over the last hedge. "Growing nicely, aren't they? Give them a month and Hagrid'll have them twenty feet high. **

"Twenty feet?" James said, his voice unnaturally high in his worry over the precious Quidditch field.

**Don't worry," he added, grinning, spotting the less-than-happy expressions on Harry's and Cedric's faces,** "**you'll have your Quidditch field back to normal once the task is over!**

James let out a relieved sigh.

** Now, I imagine you can guess what we're making here?" **

**No one spoke for a moment. Then - **

"**Maze," grunted Krum. **

"He always was a man of many words, that Krum." James said.

Sirius grinned, "Almost like a troll."

Ron laughed and Hermione shot them all glares.

"**That's right!" said Bagman. "A maze. The third task's really very straightforward. The Triwizard Cup will be placed in the center of the maze. The first champion to touch it will receive full marks." **

"**We semply 'ave to get through the maze?" said Fleur. **

"I doubt that 'semply' is a good word to describe _any _Triwizard task." Sirius said, putting on a French accent for Fluer's quote.**  
**

"**There will be obstacles," said Bagman happily,**

"'Happily'?" Lily asked, "I think that man is enjoying this thing a little _too _much."

** bouncing on the balls of his feet. "Hagrid is providing a number of creatures…then there will be spells that must be broken…all that sort of thing, you know. Now, the champions who are leading on points will get a head start into the maze." Bagman grinned at Harry and Cedric. "Then Mr. Krum will enter…then Miss Delacour. But you'll all be in with a fighting chance, depending how well you get past the obstacles. Should be fun, eh?" **

"Oh, yes, tremendously so." Sirius said sarcastically, rolling his eyes.**  
**

**Harry, who knew only too well the kind of creatures that Hagrid was likely to provide for an event like this, thought it was unlikely to be any fun at all. However, he nodded politely like the other champions. **

"**Very well…if you haven't got any questions, we'll go back up to the castle, shall we, it's a bit chilly…" **

**Bagman hurried alongside Harry as they began to wend their way out of the growing maze. Harry had the feeling that Bagman was going to start offering to help him again, but just then, Krum tapped Harry on the shoulder. **

"Saved by Krum, eh? That's a first."**  
**

"**Could I haff a vord?" **

"**Yeah, all right," said Harry, slightly surprised. **

"**Vill you valk vith me?" **

The Marauders all looked a little suspicious. **  
**

"**Okay," said Harry curiously. **

**Bagman looked slightly perturbed. **

"**I'll wait for you. Harry, shall I?" **

"No, he's perfectly capable of finding his way back to the castle he's lived in for three years on his own, thanks," James said, rolling his eyes.**  
**

"**No, it's okay, Mr. Bagman," said Harry, suppressing a smile, "I think I can find the castle on my own, thanks." **

James gave the book a mildly annoyed look.**  
**

**Harry and Krum left the stadium together, but Krum did not set a course for the Durmstrang ship. Instead, he walked toward the forest. **

"That doesn't sound good..."**  
**

"**What're we going this way for?" said Harry as they passed Hagrid s cabin and the illuminated Beauxbatons carriage. **

"**Don't vont to be overheard," said Krum shortly. **

"Well, what's he gonna say?"**  
**

**When at last they had reached a quiet stretch of ground a short way from the Beauxbatons horses' paddock, Krum stopped in the shade of the trees and turned to face Harry. **

"**I vant to know," he said, glowering, **

"'Glowering'? Is that really necessary?"

**"vot there is between you and Hermy-own-ninny." **

**Harry, who from Krum's secretive manner had expected something much more serious than this, stared up at Krum in amazement. **

"**Nothing," he said. But Krum glowered at him, and Harry, somehow struck anew by how tall Krum was, elaborated. "We're friends. She's not my girlfriend and she never has been. It's just that Skeeter woman making things up." **

"**Hermy-own-ninny talks about you very often," said Krum, **

"If you like her so much, maybe you should learn to properly say her name."

**looking suspiciously at Harry. **

"**Yeah," said Harry, "because were friends." **

**He couldn't quite believe he was having this conversation with Viktor Krum, the famous International Quidditch player. It was as though the eighteen-year-old Krum thought he Harry, was an equal - a real rival – **

"**You haff never…you haff not…" **

"**No," said Harry very firmly. **

**Krum looked slightly happier. He stared at Harry for a few seconds, then said, "You fly very veil. I vos votching at the first task." **

"**Thanks," said Harry, grinning broadly and suddenly feeling much taller himself. "I saw you at the Quidditch World Cup. The Wronski Feint, you really-" **

**But something moved behind Krum in the trees, and Harry, who had some experience of the sort of thing that lurked in the forest, instinctively grabbed Krum's arm and pulled him around. **

"**Vot is it?" **

**Harry shook his head, staring at the place where he'd seen movement. **

"Don't just _stand _there." Lily said, shaking her head.

**He slipped his hand inside his robes, reaching for his wand. **

**Suddenly a man staggered out from behind a tall oak. For a moment, Harry didn't recognize him…then he realized it was Mr. Crouch. **

"Crouch?" Remus said, leaning towards the book.**  
**

**He looked as though he had been traveling for days. The knees of his robes were ripped and bloody, his face scratched; he was unshaven and gray with exhaustion. His neat hair and mustache were both in need of a wash and a trim. His strange appearance, however, was nothing to the way he was behaving. Muttering and gesticulating, Mr. Crouch appeared to be talking to someone that he alone could see.**

"Someone's became a bit of a nutter."

** He reminded Harry vividly of an old tramp he had seen once when out shopping with the Dursleys. That man too had been conversing wildly with thin air; Aunt Petunia had seized Dudley's hand and pulled him across the road to avoid him; Uncle Vernon had then treated the family to a long rant about what he would like to do with beggars and vagrants. **

"**Vosn't he a judge?" said Krum, staring at Mr. Crouch. "Isn't he vith your Ministry?" **

**Harry nodded, hesitated for a moment, then walked slowly toward Mr. Crouch, who did not look at him, but continued to talk to a nearby tree. **

"What is _wrong _with him?"**  
**

"…**and when you've done that, Weatherby,**

"_Percy_?" Sirius said, laughing.

** send an owl to Dumbledore confirming the number of Durmstrang students who will be attending the tournament, Karkaroff has just sent word there will be twelve…" **

"And now he's having memory issues."**  
**

"**Mr. Crouch?" said Harry cautiously. **

"…**and then send another owl to Madame Maxime, because she might want to up the number of students she's bringing, now Karkaroff's made it a round dozen…do that, Weatherby, will you? Will you? Will…" **

**Mr. Crouch's eyes were bulging. He stood staring at the tree, muttering soundlessly at it. Then he staggered sideways and fell to his knees. **

"**Mr. Crouch?" Harry said loudly. "Are you all right?" **

"Clearly not."**  
**

**Crouch's eyes were rolling in his head. Harry looked around at Krum, who had followed him into the trees, and was looking down at Crouch in alarm. **

"**Vot is wrong with him?" **

"**No idea," Harry muttered. "Listen, you'd better go and get someone -" **

"**Dumbledore!" gasped Mr. Crouch. He reached out and seized a handful of Harry's robes, dragging him closer, though his eyes were staring over Harry's head. "I need…see…Dumbledore…" **

"**Okay," said Harry, "if you get up, Mr. Crouch, we can go up to the-" **

"**I've done…stupid…thing…" Mr. Crouch breathed. He looked utterly mad. His eyes were rolling and bulging, and a trickle of spittle was sliding down his chin. Every word he spoke seemed to cost him a terrible effort. "Must… tell… Dumbledore…" **

"Merlin."**  
**

"**Get up, Mr. Crouch," said Harry loudly and clearly. "Get up, I'll take you to Dumbledore!" **

**Mr. Crouch's eyes rolled forward onto Harry. **

"**Who…you?" he whispered. **

"**I'm a student at the school," said Harry, looking around at Krum for some help, but Krum was hanging back, looking extremely nervous. **

"He's a big help." Ron muttered under his breath.**  
**

"**You're not…his?" whispered Crouch, his mouth sagging. **

"**No," said Harry, without the faintest idea what Crouch was talking about. **

"Us either."**  
**

"**Dumbledore's?" **

"**That's right," said Harry. **

**Crouch was pulling him closer; Harry tried to loosen Crouch's grip on his robes, but it was too powerful. **

"**Warn…Dumbledore…" **

"**I'll get Dumbledore if you let go of me," said Harry. "Just let go, Mr. Crouch, and I'll get him…" **

"**Thank you, Weatherby, and when you have done that, I would like a cup of tea. My wife and son will be arriving shortly, we are attending a concert tonight with Mr. and Mrs. Fudge." **

"And now he's back to flashbacking," Sirius said.

"Flashbacking?" Remus repeated, looking amused.

**Crouch was now talking fluently to a tree again, and seemed completely unaware that Harry was there, which surprised Harry so much he didn't notice that Crouch had released him. **

"**Yes, my son has recently gained twelve O.W.L.S, most satisfactory, yes, thank you, yes, very proud indeed. Now, if you could bring me that memo from the Andorran Minister of Magic, I think I will have time to draft a response…" **

"**You stay here with him!" Harry said to Krum. "I'll get Dumbledore, I'll be quicker, I know where his office is -" **

"**He is mad," said Krum doubtfully, staring down at Crouch, who was still gabbling to the tree, apparently convinced it was Percy. **

"**Just stay with him," said Harry, starting to get up, but his movement seemed to trigger another abrupt change in Mr. Crouch, who seized him hard around the knees and pulled Harry back to the ground. **

"**Don't…leave…me!" he whispered, his eyes bulging again. "I… escaped… must warn…must tell…see Dumbledore…my fault…all my fault… Bertha… dead…all my fault…my son…my fault…tell Dumbledore…Harry Potter…the Dark Lord…stronger…Harry Potter…" **

"So, it's his fault Bertha's dead, something about his son, and Voldemort is getting stronger? That's lovely."**  
**

"**I'll get Dumbledore if you let me go, Mr. Crouch!" said Harry. He looked furiously around at Krum. "Help me, will you?" **

**Looking extremely apprehensive, Krum moved forward and squatted down next to Mr. Crouch. **

"**Just keep him here," said Harry, pulling himself free of Mr. Crouch. "I'll be back with Dumbledore." **

"**Hurry, von't you?" Krum called after him as Harry sprinted away from the forest and up through the dark grounds. They were deserted; Bagman, Cedric, and Fleur had disappeared. Harry tore up the stone steps, through the oak front doors, and off up the marble staircase, toward the second floor. **

**Five minutes later he was hurtling toward a stone gargoyle standing halfway along an empty corridor. **

"**Sher - sherbet lemon!" he panted at it. **

**This was the password to the hidden staircase to Dumbledore's office - or at least, it had been two years ago. The password had evidently changed, however, for the stone gargoyle did not spring to life and jump aside, but stood frozen, glaring at Harry malevolently. **

"**Move!" Harry shouted at it. "C'mon!" **

**But nothing at Hogwarts had ever moved just because he shouted at it; he knew it was no good. He looked up and down the dark corridor. Perhaps Dumbledore was in the staffroom? He started running as fast as he could toward the staircase – **

"**POTTER!" **

**Harry skidded to a halt and looked around. Snape had just emerged from the hidden staircase behind the stone gargoyle. **

"Now is really _not _the time."

**The wall was sliding shut behind him even as he beckoned Harry back toward him. **

"**What are you doing here, Potter?" **

"**I need to see Professor Dumbledore!" said Harry, running back up the corridor and skidding to a standstill in front of Snape instead. "It's Mr. Crouch…he's just turned up…he's in the forest…he's asking -" **

"**What is this rubbish?" said Snape, his black eyes glittering. "What are you talking about?" **

"**Mr. Crouch!" Harry shouted. "From the Ministry! He's ill or something - he's in the forest, he wants to see Dumbledore! Just give me the password up to -" **

"**The headmaster is busy Potter," said Snape, his thin mouth curling into an unpleasant smile.**

"He is such an ass!" Sirius yelled, ignoring Lily's glare.**  
**

"**I've got to tell Dumbledore!" Harry yelled. **

"**Didn't you hear me, Potter?" **

**Harry could tell Snape was thoroughly enjoying himself, denying Harry the thing he wanted when he was so panicky. **

"**Look," said Harry angrily, "Crouch isn't right - he's - he's out of his mind – he says he wants to warn -" **

**The stone wall behind Snape slid open. Dumbledore was standing there, wearing long green robes and a mildly curious expression. "Is there a problem?" he said, looking between Harry and Snape. **

"Yes!" James said, "Fire him!" **  
**

"**Professor!" Harry said, sidestepping Snape before Snape could speak,**

James nodded in approval.

** "Mr. Crouch is here - he's down in the forest, he wants to speak to you!" **

**Harry expected Dumbledore to ask questions, but to his relief, Dumbledore did nothing of the sort. **

"**Lead the way," he said promptly, and he swept off along the corridor behind Harry, leaving Snape standing next to the gargoyle and looking twice as ugly. **

Sirius and James snickered and leaned towards Harry for a high-five.**  
**

"**What did Mr. Crouch say, Harry?" said Dumbledore as they walked swiftly down the marble staircase. **

"**Said he wants to warn you…said he's done something terrible…he mentioned his son…and Bertha Jorkins…and - and Voldemort…something about Voldemort getting stronger…" **

"**Indeed," said Dumbledore, and he quickened his pace as they hurried out into the pitch-darkness. **

"**He's not acting normally," Harry said, hurrying along beside Dumbledore. "He doesn't seem to know where he is. He keeps talking like he thinks Percy Weasley's **

"Weatherby, you should say."

**there, and then he changes, and says he needs to see you…I left him with Viktor Krum." **

"**You did?" said Dumbledore sharply, and he began to take longer strides still, so that Harry was running to keep up. "Do you know if anybody else saw Mr. Crouch?" **

"**No," said Harry. "Krum and I were talking, Mr. Bagman had just finished telling us about the third task, we stayed behind, and then we saw Mr. Crouch coming out of the forest -" **

"**Where are they?" said Dumbledore as the Beauxbatons carriage emerged from the darkness. **

"**Over here," said Harry, moving in front of Dumbledore, leading the way through the trees. He couldn't hear Crouch's voice anymore, but he knew where he was going; it hadn't been much past the Beauxbatons carriage… somewhere around here… **

"**Viktor?" Harry shouted. **

**No one answered. **

"**They were here," Harry said to Dumbledore. "They were definitely somewhere around here…" **

"_**Lumos,**_**" Dumbledore said, lighting his wand and holding it up. **

**Its narrow beam traveled from black trunk to black trunk, illuminating the ground. And then it fell upon a pair of feet. **

**Harry and Dumbledore hurried forward. Krum was sprawled on the forest floor. He seemed to be unconscious. **

"What happened?"

**There was no sign at all of Mr. Crouch. Dumbledore bent over Krum and gently lifted one of his eyelids. **

"**Stunned," he said softly. His half-moon glasses glittered in the wandlight as he peered around at the surrounding trees. **

"**Should I go and get someone?" said Harry. "Madam Pomfrey?" **

"**No," said Dumbledore swiftly. "Stay here." **

**He raised his wand into the air and pointed it in the direction of Hagrid's cabin. Harry saw something silvery dart out of it and streak away through the trees like a ghostly bird. Then Dumbledore bent over Krum again, pointed his wand at him, and muttered, "**_**Rennervate!**_**" **

**Krum opened his eyes. He looked dazed. When he saw Dumbledore, he tried to sit up, but Dumbledore put a hand on his shoulder and made him lie still. **

"**He attacked me!" Krum muttered, putting a hand up to his head. "The old madman attacked me! I vos looking around to see vare Potter had gone and he attacked from behind!"**

"Well...if it was behind, couldn't it have been someone else who attacked Krum and he just assumed it was Crouch?"**  
**

"**Lie still for a moment," Dumbledore said. **

**The sound of thunderous footfalls reached them, and Hagrid came panting into sight with Fang at his heels. He was carrying his crossbow. **

"**Professor Dumbledore!" he said, his eyes widening. "Harry - what the -?" **

"**Hagrid, I need you to fetch Professor Karkaroff," said Dumbledore. "His student has been attacked. When you've done that, kindly alert Professor Moody -" **

"**No need, Dumbledore," said a wheezy growl. "I'm here." **

**Moody was limping toward them, leaning on his staff, his wand lit. **

"**Damn leg," he said furiously. "Would've been here quicker…what's happened? Snape said something about Crouch -" **

"**Crouch?" said Hagrid blankly. **

"Isn't he supposed to be fetching Karkaroff?" **  
**

"**Karkaroff, please, Hagrid!" said Dumbledore sharply. **

"**Oh yeah…right y'are, Professor…" said Hagrid, and he turned and disappeared into the dark trees, Fang trotting after him. **

"**I don't know where Barty Crouch is," Dumbledore told Moody, "but it is essential that we find him." **

"**I'm onto it," growled Moody, and he pulled out his wand and limped off into the forest. **

**Neither Dumbledore nor Harry spoke again until they heard the unmistakable sounds of Hagrid and Fang returning. Karkaroff was hurrying along behind them. He was wearing his sleek silver furs, and he looked pale and agitated. **

"**What is this?" he cried when he saw Krum on the ground and Dumbledore and Harry beside him. "What's going on?" **

"**I vos attacked!" said Krum, sitting up now and rubbing his head. "Mr. Crouch or votever his name -" **

"**Crouch attacked you? Crouch attacked you? The Triwizard judge?" **

"Oh no..."**  
**

"**Igor," Dumbledore began, but Karkaroff had drawn himself up, clutching his furs around him, looking livid. **

"**Treachery!" he bellowed, pointing at Dumbledore. "It is a plot! You and your Ministry of Magic have lured me here under false pretenses, Dumbledore! This is not an equal competition! First you sneak Potter into the tournament, though he is underage! Now one of your Ministry friends attempts to put my champion out of action! I smell double-dealing and corruption in this whole affair, and you, Dumbledore, you, with your talk of closer international wizarding links, of rebuilding old ties, of forgetting old differences - here's what I think of you!" **

**Karkaroff spat onto the ground at Dumbledore's feet. **

Furious shouts (and a rather violent exclamation from Remus, which shocked them) filled the room and it took a while before Ron was able to read again.

**In one swift movement, Hagrid seized the front of Karkaroff's furs, lifted him into the air, and slammed him against a nearby tree. **

"Yeah!"

"Go Hagrid!"

"**Apologize!" Hagrid snarled as Karkaroff gasped for breath, Hagrid's massive fist at his throat, his feet dangling in midair. **

"**Hagrid, no!" Dumbledore shouted, his eyes flashing. **

"Oh, come on."**  
**

**Hagrid removed the hand pinning Karkaroff to the tree, and Karkaroff slid all the way down the trunk and slumped in a huddle at its roots; a few twigs and leaves showered down upon his head. **

"**Kindly escort Harry back up to the castle, Hagrid," said Dumbledore sharply. **

**Breathing heavily, Hagrid gave Karkaroff a glowering look. **

"**Maybe I'd better stay here. Headmaster…" **

"**You will take Harry back to school, Hagrid," Dumbledore repeated firmly. "Take him right up to Gryffindor Tower. And Harry - I want you to stay there. Anything you might want to do - any owls you might want to send - they can wait until morning, do you understand me?" **

"**Er - yes," said Harry, staring at him. How had Dumbledore known that, at that very moment, he had been thinking about sending Pigwidgeon straight to Sirius, to tell him what had happened? **

"Because he knows just about everything."**  
**

"**I'll leave Fang with yeh Headmaster," Hagrid said, staring menacingly at Karkaroff, who was still sprawled at the foot of the tree, tangled in furs and tree roots. "Stay, Fang. C'mon, Harry." **

**They marched in silence past the Beauxbatons carriage and up toward the castle. **

"**How dare he," Hagrid growled as they strode past the lake. "How dare he accuse Dumbledore. Like Dumbledore'd do anythin' like that. Like Dumbledore wanted you in the tournament in the firs' place. Worried! I dunno when I seen Dumbledore more worried than he's bin lately. An' you!" Hagrid suddenly said angrily to Harry, who looked up at him, taken aback. "What were yeh doin', wanderin' off with ruddy Krum? He's from Durmstrang, Harry! Coulda jinxed yeh right there, couldn he? Hasn' Moody taught yeh nothin'? 'Magine lettin him lure yeh off on yer own -" **

"**Krum's all right!" said Harry as they climbed the steps into the entrance hall. "He wasn't trying to jinx me, he just wanted to talk about Hermione -" **

"**I'll be havin' a few words with her, an' all," said Hagrid grimly, stomping up the stairs. "The less you lot 'ave ter do with these foreigners, the happier yeh'll be. Yeh can trust any of 'em." **

"Wasn't he being awfully friendly to Madame Maxime earlier?"**  
**

"**You were getting on all right with Madame Maxime," Harry said, annoyed. **

"**Don' you talk ter me abou' her!" said Hagrid, and he looked quite frightening for a moment. "I've got her number now! Tryin' ter get back in me good books, tryin' ter get me ter tell her what's comin in the third task. Ha! You can' trust any of'em!" **

**Hagrid was in such a bad mood, Harry was quite glad to say good-bye to him in front of the Fat Lady. He clambered through the portrait hole into the common room and hurried straight for the corner where Ron and Hermione were sitting, to tell them what had happened.**

"Alright, that's it for this chapter." Ron said.

**A/N: So, I finished this at some on-godly time earlier (it's nearly 3 in the morning right now, and I finished this earlier) and I was re-reading (skimming, really) some of the past chapters for this, looking for the Author's Note where I said the order of how everyone will be reading, and I realized that Ginny is supposed to be here. I don't think I've gotten any reviews about her absence.**

**So, question: Do you guys want me to start including her again? Because, if not a lot of people want her here, I won't write her anymore (I actually have a hard time including all the characters as-is, I completely forgot Ginny. I guess that's what I get for not updating in so long). **  
**  
One last thing:  
To all of you who follow people on YouTube, I've been watching videos for the channel 'sivartis'. They do comedy sketches and they're really great. They have PC VS Mac commercial spoofs, and two shows called "Two Hot Guys in a Shower" (where they answer questions) and "Robot, Ninja & Gay Guy" along with some other funny stuff (they've done Truth or Fail three times!). They've posted the season finale of RNGG a few days ago and, because the show costs a lot to make, they may not be able to have a second season. It helps them out a lot when people promote their stuff by commenting, subscribing and sharing their videos so that's what I'm doing, sharing them with my readers.**

**So, if you're interested, go check them out at their channel **sivartis** and, if you like them, subscribe.**

Oh, and review please.  



	32. The Dream

**CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE**  
**THE DREAM**

Lily arched an eyebrow at the chapter picture and held it out so the others could see.

"Um. Harry, are you riding a _giant owl_?" Sirius asked incredulously.

Harry blushed and started to defend himself but Lily cut him off by reading.

**"It comes down to this," said Hermione, rubbing her forehead. "Either Mr. Crouch attacked Viktor, or somebody else attacked both of them when Viktor wasn't looking."**

**"It must've been Crouch," said Ron at once. "That's why he was gone when Harry and Dumbledore got there. He'd done a runner."**

"But why would he run? He sounded really desperate to talk to Dumbledore." Remus muttered.

**"I don't think so," said Harry, shaking his head. "He seemed really weak - I don't reckon he was up to Disapparating or anything."**

"That too," Sirius added.

"You can't disapparate on Hogwarts grounds anyway," Lily said.

Remus nodded, "Honestly. It wouldn't kill you to read _Hogwarts: A History_."

"You don't _know _that."

"Yeah, Moony. You can never be too careful."

**"You can't Disapparate on the Hogwarts grounds, haven't I told you enough times?" said Hermione.**

**"Okay…hows this for a theory," said Ron excitedly. "Krum attacked Crouch - no, wait for it - and then Stunned himself!"**

"Why exactly would he do that?"

"It still wouldn't explain where Crouch went, even if that was the case."

**"And Mr. Crouch evaporated, did he?" said Hermione coldly.**

**"Oh yeah…"**

**It was daybreak. Harry, Ron, and Hermione had crept out of their dormitories very early and hurried up to the Owlery together to send a note to Sirius.**

"Good." 

**Now they were standing looking out at the misty grounds. All three of them were puffy-eyed and pale because they had been talking late into the night about Mr. Crouch.**

**"Just go through it again, Harry," said Hermione. "What did Mr. Crouch actually say?"**

**"I've told you, he wasn't making much sense," said Harry. "He said he wanted to warn Dumbledore about something. He definitely mentioned Bertha Jorkins, and he seemed to think she was dead. He kept saying stuff was his fault…He mentioned his son."**

**"Well, that was his fault," said Hermione testily.**

"And pretty much the only part you could understand."

**"He was out of his mind," said Harry. "Half the time he seemed to think his wife and son were still alive, and he kept talking to Percy about work and giving him instructions."**

**"And…remind me what he said about You-Know-Who?" said Ron tentatively.**

**"I've told you," Harry repeated dully. "He said he's getting stronger."**

"Which is great news, of course." Sirius said dryly.

**There was a pause. Then Ron said in a falsely confident voice, "But he was out of his mind, like you said, so half of it was probably just raving…"**

**"He was sanest when he was trying to talk about Voldemort," said Harry, and Ron winced at the sound of the name.**

"Really, Ron?" James asked.

Ron blushed.

**"He was having real trouble stringing two words together, but that was when he seemed to know where he was, and know what he wanted to do. He just kept saying he had to see Dumbledore."**

**Harry turned away from the window and stared up into the rafters. The many perches were half-empty; every now and then, another owl would swoop in through one of the windows, returning from its night's hunting with a mouse in its beak.**

Seth let out a hiss of approval about the owl's meal and Peter shuddered.

**"If Snape hadn't held me up," Harry said bitterly, "we might've got there in time. 'The headmaster is busy. Potter…what's this rubbish, Potter?' Why couldn't he have just got out of the way?"**

**"Maybe he didn't want you to get there!" said Ron quickly. "Maybe - hang on - how fast d'you reckon he could've gotten down to the forest? D'you reckon he could've beaten you and Dumbledore there?"**

"Snape can't be the cause of every single bad thing that happens."

**"Not unless he can turn himself into a bat or something," said Harry.**

**"Wouldn't put it past him," Ron muttered.**

"I really did not need that mental image." Sirius said with a shudder.

**"We need to see Professor Moody," said Hermione. "We need to find out whether he found Mr. Crouch."**

**"If he had the Marauder's Map on him, it would've been easy," said Harry.**

**"Unless Crouch was already outside the grounds," said Ron, "because it only shows up to the boundaries, doesn't -"**

**"Shh!" said Hermione suddenly.**

**Somebody was climbing the steps up to the Owlery. Harry could hear two voices arguing, coming closer and closer.**

**"- that's blackmail, that is, we could get into a lot of trouble for that-"**

**"- we've tried being polite; it's time to play dirty, like him. He wouldn't like the Ministry of Magic knowing what he did -"**

**"I'm telling you, if you put that in writing, it's blackmail!"**

"Who cares? Blackmail is effective." Sirius said, grinning.

James rolled his eyes, "The better question, Padfoot, is who are these people and who are they blackmailing?"

"That was two questions, Prongs."

"If you two would just shut up we'd know by now." Remus said, motioning for Lily to read, regardless of Sirius and James.

**"Yeah, and you won't be complaining if we get a nice fat payoff, will you?"**

**The Owlery door banged open. Fred and George**

James and Sirius both cheered.

**came over the threshold, then froze at the sight of Harry, Ron, and Hermione.**

**"What're you doing here?" Ron and Fred said at the same time.**

**"Sending a letter,"**

"Well, duh. It IS the owlery." 

**said Harry and George in unison.**

**"What, at this time?" said Hermione and Fred.**

**Fred grinned.**

**"Fine - we won't ask you what you're doing, if you don't ask us," he said. He was holding a sealed envelope in his hands. Harry glanced at it, but Fred, whether accidentally or on purpose, shifted his hand so that the name on it was covered.**

**"Well, don't let us hold you up," Fred said, making a mock bow and pointing at the door.**

**Ron didn't move. "Who're you blackmailing?" he said.**

**The grin vanished from Fred's face. Harry saw George half glance at Fred, before smiling at Ron.**

James and Sirius had actually gone silent for once due to their curiosity.

**"Don't be stupid, I was only joking," he said easily.**

**"Didn't sound like that," said Ron.**

**Fred and George looked at each other. Then Fred said abruptly, "I've told you before, Ron, keep your nose out if you like it the shape it is. Can't see why you would, but -"**

**"It's my business if you're blackmailing someone," said Ron. "George's right, you could end up in serious trouble for that."**

**"Told you, I was joking," said George. He walked over to Fred, pulled the letter out of his hands, and began attaching it to the leg of the nearest barn owl. "You're starting to sound a bit like our dear older brother, you are, Ron. Carry on like this and you'll be made a prefect."**

**"No, I won't!" said Ron hotly.**

Harry and Hermione both exchanged smirks and Ron rolled his eyes.

"Wait - _does _Ron become prefect?" Lily asked.

"You'll see."

**George carried the barn owl over to the window and it took off. George turned around and grinned at Ron.**

**"Well, stop telling people what to do then. See you later."**

**He and Fred left the Owlery. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at one another.**

**"You don't think they know something about all this, do you?" Hermione whispered. "About Crouch and everything?"**

**"No," said Harry. "If it was something that serious, they'd tell someone. They'd tell Dumbledore."**

**Ron, however, was looking uncomfortable.**

**"What's the matter?" Hermione asked him.**

**"Well…" said Ron slowly, "I dunno if they would. They're…they're obsessed with making money lately, I noticed it when I was hanging around with them - when - you know -"**

**"We weren't talking." Harry finished the sentence for him. "Yeah, but blackmail…"**

**"It's this joke shop idea they've got," said Ron. "I thought they were only saying it to annoy Mum, but they really mean it, they want to start one.**

"And they should."

"Yeah, it's a brilliant idea." 

**They've only got a year left at Hogwarts, they**** keep going on about how it's time to think about their future, and Dad can't help them, and they need gold to get started."**

**Hermione was looking uncomfortable now.**

**"Yes, but…they wouldn't do anything against the law to get gold."**

**"Wouldn't they?" said Ron, looking skeptical. "I dunno…they don't exactly mind breaking rules, do they?"**

"Breaking the rules is completely different then breaking the _law._" Sirius said.

James nodded, "Yeah, and if we know the difference then surely they do too."

**"Yes, but this is the law" said Hermione, looking scared. "This isn't some silly school rule…They'll get a lot more than detention for blackmail! Ron… maybe you'd better tell Percy…"**

"That's probably the worse thing to do."

**"Are you mad?" said Ron. "Tell Percy? He'd probably do a Crouch and turn them in."**

**He stared at the window through which Fred and George's owl had departed, then said, "Come on, let's get some breakfast."**

**"D'you think it's too early to go and see Professor Moody?" Hermione said as they went down the spiral staircase.**

"It's really not a good idea to surprise him. You should probably wait."

**"Yes," said Harry. "He'd probably blast us through the door if we wake him at the crack of dawn; he'll think we're trying to attack him while he's asleep. Let's give it till break."**

**History of Magic**

Sirius and James both groaned.

**had rarely gone so slowly. Harry kept checking Ron's watch, having finally discarded his own, but Ron's was moving so slowly he could have sworn it had stopped working too. All three of them were so tired they could happily have put their heads down on the desks and slept; even Hermione wasn't taking her usual notes, but was sitting with her head on her hand, gazing at Professor Binns with her eyes out of focus.**

**When the bell finally rang, they hurried out into the corridors toward the Dark Arts classroom and found Professor Moody leaving it. He looked as tired as they felt. The eyelid of his normal eye was drooping, giving his face an even more lopsided appearance than usual.**

**"Professor Moody?" Harry called as they made their way toward him through the crowd.**

**"Hello, Potter," growled Moody. His magical eye followed a couple of passing first years, who sped up, looking nervous; it rolled into the back of Moody's head and watched them around the corner before he spoke again.**

**"Come in here."**

**He stood back to let them into his empty classroom, limped in after them, and closed the door.**

**"Did you find him?" Harry asked without preamble. "Mr. Crouch?"**

**"No," said Moody. He moved over to his desk, sat down, stretched out his wooden leg with a slight groan, and pulled out his hip flask.**

**"Did you use the map?" Harry said.**

**"Of course," said Moody, taking a swig from his flask. "Took a leaf out of your book, Potter. Summoned it from my office into the forest. He wasn't anywhere on there."**

**"So he did Disapparate?" said Ron.**

Remus groaned and said impatiently, "He _couldn't _have."  
**  
"You can't Disapparate on the grounds, Ron!" said Hermione. "There are other ways he could have disappeared, aren't there, Professor?"**

**Moody's magical eye quivered as it rested on Hermione. "You're another one who might think about a career as an Auror," he told her. "Mind works the right way Granger."**

**Hermione flushed pink with pleasure.**

**"Well, he wasn't invisible," said Harry. "The map shows invisible people. He must've left the grounds, then."**

"What if there was a secret passage or something not on the map?" Peter asked.

James shook his head, "At the entrance to the Forbidden Forest? We spend an entire night a month running around there; we would have seen it."

**"But under his own steam?" said Hermione eagerly, "or because someone made him?"**

**"Yeah, someone could've - could've pulled him onto a broom and flown off with him, couldn't they?"**

"Surely someone would have seen him if that was the case." 

**said Ron quickly, looking hopefully at Moody as if he too wanted to be told he had the makings of an Auror.**

**"We can't rule out kidnap," growled Moody.**

**"So," said Ron, "d'you reckon he's somewhere in Hogsmeade?"**

"If he is, I could always keep an eye out for him," Sirius said.

**"Could be anywhere," said Moody, shaking his head. "Only thing we know for sure is that he's not here."**

**He yawned widely, so that his scars stretched, and his lopsided mouth revealed a number of missing teeth. Then he said, "Now, Dumbledore's told me you three fancy yourselves as investigators, but there's nothing you can do for Crouch. The Ministry'll be looking for him now, Dumbledore's notified them. Potter, you just keep your mind on the third task."**

**"What?" said Harry. "Oh yeah…"**

**He hadn't given the maze a single thought since he'd left it with Krum the previous night.**

"Well, it'd probably be a good idea to think about that." James said, rolling his eyes.

"He really doesn't need to wait until last minute like last time."

**"Should be right up your street, this one," said Moody, looking up at Harry and scratching his scarred and stubbly chin. "From what Dumbledore's said, you've managed to get through stuff like this plenty of times. Broke your way through a series of obstacles guarding the Sorcerer's Stone in your first year, didn't you?"**

**"We helped," Ron said quickly. "Me and Hermione helped."**

**Moody grinned.**

**"Well, help him practice for this one, and I'll be very surprised if he doesn't win," said Moody. "In the meantime…constant vigilance, Potter. Constant vigilance."**

**He took another long draw from his hip flask, and his magical eye swiveled onto the window. The topmost sail of the Durmstrang ship was visible through it.**

**"You two," counseled Moody, his normal eye on Ron and Hermione, "you stick close to Potter, all right? I'm keeping an eye on things, but all the same… you can never have too many eyes out."**

**Sirius sent their owl back the very next morning. It fluttered down beside Harry at the same moment that a tawny owl landed in front of Hermione, clutching a copy of the Daily Prophet in its beak. She took the newspaper, scanned the first few pages, said, "Ha! She hasn't got wind of Crouch!" then joined Ron and Harry in reading what Sirius had to say on the mysterious events of the night before last.**

_**Harry -  
what do you think you are playing at, walking off into the forest with Viktor Krum?**_

__"You're _scolding _him?" James said incredulously.

Sirius frowned and then shrugged, "I supposed I have to be a responsible godfather sometimes."__

_**I want you to swear, by return owl, that you are not going to go walking with anyone else at night. There is somebody highly dangerous at Hogwarts. It is clear to me that they wanted to stop Crouch from seeing Dumbledore and you were probably feet away from them in the dark. You could have been killed.**_

_**Your name didn't get into the Goblet of Fire by accident. If someone's trying to attack you, they're on their last chance. Stay close to Ron and Hermione, do not leave Gryffindor Tower after hours, and arm yourself for the third task. Practice Stunning and Disarming. A few hexes wouldn't go amiss either. There's nothing you can do about Crouch. Keep your head down and look after yourself. I'm waiting for your letter giving me your word you won't stray out-of-bounds again.**_

_**Sirius**_

**"Who's he, to lecture me about being out-of-bounds?" said Harry in mild indignation as he folded up Sirius's letter and put it inside his robes. "After all the stuff he did at school!"**

**"He's worried about you!" said Hermione sharply. "Just like Moody and Hagrid! So listen to them!"**

**"No one's tried to attack me all year," said Harry. "No one's done anything to me at all-"**

"What about putting your name in the Goblet of Fire?"

**"Except put your name in the Goblet of Fire," said Hermione. "And they must've done that for a reason Harry. Snuffles is right. Maybe they've been biding their time. Maybe this is the task they're going to get you."**

"Wonderful."

**"Look," said Harry impatiently, "let's say Sirius is right, and someone Stunned Krum to kidnap Crouch. Well, they would've been in the trees near us, wouldn't they? But they waited till I was out of the way until they acted, didn't they? So it doesn't look like I'm their target, does it?"**

"That true." James said.

"But it still doesn't mean he can be careless." Lily added.

**"They couldn't have made it look like an accident if they'd murdered you in the forest!" said Hermione. "But if you die during a task-"**

**"They didn't care about attacking Krum, did they?" said Harry. "Why didn't they just polish me off at the same time? They could've made it look like Krum and I had a duel or something."**

**"Harry, I don't understand it either,"**

"Nor do I." Remus added.

James smirked, "And that's driving you crazy, isn't it, Moony?" ****

said Hermione desperately. "I just know there are a lot of odd things going on, and I don't like it…Moody's right - Sirius is right - you've got to get in training for the third task, straight away. And you make sure you write back to Sirius and promise him you're not going to go sneaking off alone again."

**The Hogwarts grounds never looked more inviting than when Harry had to stay indoors. For the next few days he spent all of his free time either in the library with Hermione and Ron, looking up hexes, or else in empty classrooms, which they sneaked into to practice. Harry was concentrating on the Stunning Spell, which he had never used before. The trouble was that practicing it involved certain sacrifices on Ron's and Hermione's part.**

**"Can't we kidnap Mrs. Norris?"**

"Yes! That's brilliant."****

Ron suggested on Monday lunchtime as he lay flat on his back in the middle of their Charms classroom, having just been Stunned and reawoken by Harry for the fifth time in a row. "Let's Stun her for a bit. Or you could use Dobby, Harry, I bet he'd do anything to help you.

Hermione and Lily both glared at Ron and he gave them a nervous look. ****

I'm not complaining or anything" - he got gingerly to his feet, rubbing his backside - "but I'm aching all over…"

**"Well, you keep missing the cushions, don't you!" said Hermione impatiently, rearranging the pile of cushions they had used for the Banishing Spell, which Flitwick had left in a cabinet. "Just try and fall backward!"**

**"Once you're Stunned, you can't aim too well, Hermione!" said Ron angrily. "Why don't you take a turn?"**

**"Well, I think Harry's got it now, anyway," said Hermione hastily. "And we don't have to worry about Disarming, because he's been able to do that for ages…I think we ought to start on some of these hexes this evening."**

**She looked down the list they had made in the library.**

**"I like the look of this one," she said, "this Impediment Curse. Should slow down anything that's trying to attack you Harry. We'll start with that one."**

**The bell rang. They hastily shoved the cushions back into Flitwicks cupboard and slipped out of the classroom.**

"You know, if you'd just _ask _you could find at least one teacher that would let you use their classroom."

**"See you at dinner!" said Hermione, and she set off for Arithmancy, while Harry and Ron headed toward North Tower, and Divination. Broad strips of dazzling gold sunlight tell across the corridor from the high windows. The sky outside was so brightly blue it looked as though it had been enameled.**

**"It's going to be boiling in Trelawney's room, she never puts out that fire," said Ron as they started up the staircase toward the silver ladder and the trapdoor.**

**He was quite right. The dimly lit room was swelteringly hot. The fumes from the perfumed fire were heavier than ever. Harry's head swam as he made his way over to one of the curtained windows. While Professor Trelawney was looking the other way, disentangling her shawl from a lamp, he opened it an inch or so and settled back in his chintz armchair, so that a soft breeze played across his face. It was extremely comfortable.**

"Just take a nap. Trelawney never notices." Sirius said.

**"My dears," said Professor Trelawney, sitting down in her winged armchair in front of the class and peering around at them all with her strangely enlarged eyes, "we have almost finished our work on planetary divination. Today, however, will be an excellent opportunity to examine the effects of Mars, for he is placed most interestingly at the present time. If you will all look this way, I will dim the lights…"**

"And she's going to dim the lights? Perfect."

**She waved her wand and the lamps went out. The fire was the only source of light now. Professor Trelawney bent down and lifted, from under her chair, a miniature model of the solar system, contained within a glass dome. It was a beautiful thing; each of the moons glimmered in place around the nine planets and the fiery sun, all of them hanging in thin air beneath the glass. Harry watched lazily as Professor Trelawney began to point out the fascinating angle Mars was making to Neptune.**

**The heavily perfumed fumes washed over him, and the breeze from the window played across his face. He could hear an insect humming gently somewhere behind the curtain. His eyelids began to droop…**

**He was riding on the back of an eagle owl,**

"Right. Well, we've gotten to the chapter picture then."****

soaring through the clear blue sky toward an old, ivy-covered house set high on a hillside. Lower and lower they flew, the wind blowing pleasantly in Harry's face, until they reached a dark and broken window in the upper story of the house and entered. Now they were flying along a gloomy passageway, to a room at the very end…through the door they went, into a dark room whose windows were boarded up…  
**Harry had left the owl's back…he was watching, now, as it fluttered across the room, into a chair with its back to him…There were two dark shapes on the floor beside the chair…both of them were stirring…**

**One was a huge snake…**

Seth raised his head in interest. ****

the other was a man…a short, balding man, a man with watery eyes and a pointed nose…he was wheezing and sobbing on the hearth rug…

**"You are in luck, Wormtail,"**

Peter winced.****

said a cold, high-pitched voice from the depths of the chair in which the owl had landed. "You are very fortunate indeed. Your blunder has not ruined everything. He is dead."

"Crouch?"

**"My Lord!" gasped the man on the floor. "My Lord, I am…I am so pleased… and so sorry…"**

**"Nagini," said the cold voice, "you are out of luck. I will not be feeding Wormtail to you,**

"Oh, Merlin. That'd be a terrible way to die, wouldn't it?" Sirius said, grimacing as Peter paled.****

after all…but never mind, never mind…there is still Harry Potter…"

Sirius and James bot growled and the others had to avert their eyes from Lily and the book when they saw the look she was giving it.

**The snake hissed. Harry could see its tongue fluttering.**

**"Now, Wormtail," said the cold voice, "perhaps one more little reminder why I will not tolerate another blunder from you…"**

**"My Lord…no…I beg you…"**

**The tip of a wand emerged from around the back of the chair. It was pointing at Wormtail.**

**"Crucio!" said the cold voice.**

Peter had closed his eyes and had paled even more.

**Wormtail screamed, screamed as though every nerve in his body were on fire, the screaming filled Harry's ears as the scar on his forehead seared with pain; he was yelling too…Voldemort would hear him, would know he was there…**

**"Harry! Harry!"**

**Harry opened his eyes. He was lying on the floor of Professor Trelawney's room with his hands over his face. His scar was still burning so badly that his eyes were watering.**

"Well," Sirius said dryly, "I guess she knows you were napping now." ****

The pain had been real. The whole class was standing around him, and Ron was kneeling next to him, looking terrified.

**"You all right?" he said.**

**"Of course he isn't!" said Professor Trelawney, looking thoroughly excited.**

"What is _wrong_ with her?"****

Her great eyes loomed over Harry, gazing at him. "What was it Potter? A premonition? An apparition? What did you see?"

**"Nothing," Harry lied. He sat up. He could feel himself shaking. He couldn't stop himself from looking around, into the shadows behind him; Voldemorts voice had sounded so close…**

**"You were clutching your scar!" said Professor Trelawney. "You were rolling on the floor, clutching your scar! Come now Potter, I have experience in these matters!"**

**Harry looked up at her.**

**"I need to go to the hospital wing, I think," he said. "Bad headache."**

**"My dear, you were undoubtedly stimulated by the extraordinary clairvoyant vibrations of my room!" said Professor Trelawney. "If you leave now, you may lose the opportunity to see further than you have ever -"**

**"I don't want to see anything except a headache cure," said Harry.**

**He stood up. The class backed away. They all looked unnerved.**

**"See you later," Harry muttered to Ron, and he picked up his bag and headed for the trapdoor, ignoring Professor Trelawney, who was wearing an expression of great frustration, as though she had just been denied a real treat.**

**When Harry reached the bottom of her stepladder, however, he did not set off for the hospital wing. He had no intention whatsoever of going there. Sirius had told him what to do if his scar hurt him again, and Harry was going to follow his advice: He was going straight to Dumbledore's office.**

"Good." Sirius said in approval, "And then you write to me about it, of course." ****

He marched down the corridors, thinking about what he had seen in the dream…it had been as vivid as the one that had awoken him on Privet Drive…He ran over the details in his mind, trying to make sure he could remember them…He had heard Voldemort accusing Wormtail of making a blunder…but the owl had brought good news, the blunder had been repaired, somebody was dead…so Wormtail was not going to be fed to the snake…he, Harry, was going to be fed to it instead…

**Harry had walked right past the stone gargoyle guarding the entrance to Dumbledores office without noticing. He blinked, looked around, realized what he had done, and retraced his steps, stopping in front of it. Then he remembered that he didn't know the password.**

"Just start rattling off the names of sweets." Sirius said.

James laughed, "Can you imagine if Moony was headmaster? The password would always be a type of chocolate."

Remus rolled his eyes but didn't bother denying it.

**"Sherbet lemon?" he tried tentatively.**

**The gargoyle did not move.**

**"Okay," said Harry, staring at it, "Pear Drop. Er - Licorice Wand. Fizzing Whizbee. Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans…oh no, he doesn't like them, does he?…oh just open, can't you?" he said angrily. "I really need to see him, its urgent!"**

**The gargoyle remained immovable.**

**Harry kicked it, achieving nothing but an excruciating pain in his big toe.**

**"Chocolate Frog!" he yelled angrily, standing on one leg. "Sugar Quill! Cockroach Cluster!"**

**The gargoyle sprang to life and jumped aside. Harry blinked.**

"Cockroach Cluster? Really?"

**"Cockroach Cluster?" he said, amazed. "I was only joking…"**

**He hurried through the gap in the walls and stepped onto the foot of a spiral stone staircase, which moved slowly upward as the doors closed behind him, taking him up to a polished oak door with a brass door knocker.**

**He could hear voices from inside the office. He stepped off the moving staircase and hesitated, listening.**

**"Dumbledore, I'm afraid I don't see the connection, don't see it at all!" It was the voice of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.**

"What he doing there?"

"Remember? Crouch?"

"Oh. Right." ****

"Ludo says Berthas perfectly capable of getting herself lost. I agree we would have expected to have found her by now, but all the same, we've no evidence of foul play, Dumbledore, none at all. As for her disappearance being linked with Barty Crouch's!"

**"And what do you thinks happened to Barty Crouch, Minister?" said Moody's growling voice.**

**"I see two possibilities, Alastor," said Fudge. "Either Crouch has finally cracked - more than likely, I'm sure you'll agree, given his personal history - lost his mind, and gone wandering off somewhere -"**

**"He wandered extremely quickly, if that is the case, Cornelius," said Dumbledore calmly.**

**"Or else - well…" Fudge sounded embarrassed. "Well, I'll reserve judgment until after I've seen the place where he was found, but you say it was just past the Beauxbatons carriage? Dumbledore, you know what that woman is?"**

**"I consider her to be a very able headmistress - and an excellent dancer,"**

They all laughed and Sirius said, "What would she want with Crouch anyway?"****

said Dumbledore quietly.

**"Dumbledore, come!" said Fudge angrily. "Don't you think you might be prejudiced in her favor because of Hagrid? They don't all turn out harmless - if, indeed, you can call Hagrid harmless, with that monster fixation he's got -"**

"Well, Moony's got a bit of a monster fixation too and he's harmless."

"Most of the time."

**"I no more suspect Madame Maxime than Hagrid," said Dumbledore, just as calmly. "I think it possible that it is you who are prejudiced, Cornelius."**

**"Can we wrap up this discussion?" growled Moody.**

**"Yes, yes, let's go down to the grounds, then," said Fudge impatiently.**

**"No, it's not that," said Moody, "it's just that Potter wants a word with you, Dumbledore. He's just outside the door."**

"Of course, Mad-Eye would notice." James said as Lily handed Hermione the book. 

**A/N: It really didn't take me too long to write this (once I finally got started properly) so maybe I can write another soon.**

Review please?  



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